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Buddhist monks anger Scottish islanders with wind turbine plan

Buddhist monks living in a community on a Scottish island have angered local residents by putting in a planning application to build wind turbines.

By The Newsroom
Published 28th Feb 2019, 14:03 GMT
Men and women leaving the Samye-Ling Tibetan Centre at Eskdalemuir in Dumfriesshire, after spending four years inside the Buddhist retreat.
Men and women leaving the Samye-Ling Tibetan Centre at Eskdalemuir in Dumfriesshire, after spending four years inside the Buddhist retreat.
Men and women leaving the Samye-Ling Tibetan Centre at Eskdalemuir in Dumfriesshire, after spending four years inside the Buddhist retreat.

Holy Isle, in Lamlash Bay, just off the south coast of Arran, is home to a religious retreat and an application to build five wind turbines on the beautiful island has upset some locals.

Nearly 90 objectors lodged complaints.

According to The Times, residents on Arran are concerned that the wind turbines will spoil views of the picturesque island, as well as harming the local environment.

A view of the Holy Isle.
A view of the Holy Isle.
A view of the Holy Isle.
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But North Ayrshire Council has already approved the plans, which will allow the Samye Ling monks to be self-sufficient in energy.

Local John Campbell, 78, from the village of Lamlash, which lies opposite Holy Island, said: “Despite the large-scale opposition, the council obviously decided they were going to consider the application in-house when the scheme of delegation indications that with that scale of objections it should have been put before the planning committee.

“There is now a lot of anger about this decision and questions about why it was taken.

“The value of Holy Island as a relatively unspoiled, valuable landscape for both the community of Arran and visitors is very significant.”

A view of the Holy Isle.
A view of the Holy Isle.
A view of the Holy Isle.

A council spokesman said: “Due to its small scale, this applications was defined in statutory regulations as a ‘local’ application for which officers have delegated authority to make a decision.”

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