A sad blow

I wonder how many of your readers will have been shocked at the map of wind farm visibility in Scotland commissioned by the John Muir Trust (your report, 13 September). This does not include all the applications that have been passed but not yet built.

The 2007 SNP election manifesto declared wind farms would be mainly offshore. I still have The Scotsman cutting comparing the parties’ policies. Many people opposed to wind farms believed their best chance to achieve the abolition of onshore turbines was to vote SNP.

It was by the slenderest of margins the SNP was elected to form a government in May 2007 and I am sure wind farms were a factor in at least a few crucial seats. Within three months, Alex Salmond was opening the Crystal Rig extension and extolling the benefits of renewables. The wind farm map of Scotland tells its own story.

CELIA HOBBS

Peebles Road

Penicuik, Midlothian