Click to sign a petition entitled HALT ALL OFFICIAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR WIND TURBINES NOW

Watch this short video which explains how green energy is costing the EU consumer and provoking a crisis in business 

Turn your back for 2 minutes and another industrial wind turbine development comes along threatening our neighbourhood. This time the development is Green Burn (sounds nice and eco friendly, doesn't it?!) consisting of up to 14 turbines and is just along the road from Drumderg. If you hear Drumderg then you are more than likely to hear Green Burn too.

The planning application is due to be lodged in summer 2015 and the developers ABO are holding public exhibitions this week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Alyth, Kirkmichael, Bridge of Cally and Blairgowrie. We urge you to go along and find out more.
(not sure exactly what the bits are flailing around the blades.... is it dismembered parts of rare birds?)

Joint letter to the media on Scottish Government decisions on Stronelairg and other wind farms. Letter from Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland, Mountaineering Council of Scotland, The Munro Society, The National Trust for Scotland, Ramblers Scotland and Scottish Wild Land Group 9 th February, 2015

 

Sir,

Few people dispute the necessity of first reducing our energy use, and then substituting the use of fossil fuels with renewable energy alternatives, to help address the challenge of climate change. However, as we have seen, there is public disquiet about proliferation of energy developments in Scotland’s wild land areas. It is vital that any decisions on the location of these developments rely on the fair and impartial assessment of all pertinent information and points of view. The people of Scotland depend on their Government to ensure this happens. Unfortunately, we do not believe that the Scottish Government is doing this in a consistent manner with wind farm developments. In the face of evidence and objections from many different organisations, communities and individuals, the Scottish Government has approved proposals to site colossal wind farms inland, at Stronelairg in the Monadhliath Mountains, and offshore, straddling the Firths of the Forth and Tay. In both cases the Scottish Government chose to ignore the views of its own expert advisers from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Their advice made it absolutely clear that the impact from these turbines will be very significant, and that the locations were problematic as a result. It seems iniquitous to us that, having put in place a planning system which invites the expert views of statutory consultees, the Scottish Government too frequently ignores them if they prove inconvenient. At the very least, evidence of this calibre from SNH should trigger public inquiries. We therefore call on the Scottish Government to commit to taking cognisance of its own advisors. Rather than force objectors to challenge these decisions in the courts at great expense, the Scottish Government should first ensure they have been exposed to the proper and democratic scrutiny that their scale and potential impact warrants.

Signed,

John Mayhew, Director, Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland

Brian Linington, President, Mountaineering Council of Scotland

Peter Willimot, President, The Munro Society

Sir Kenneth Calman, Chairman, the National Trust for Scotland

David Thomson, Convener, Ramblers Scotland

John Milne, Co-ordinator, Scottish Wild Land Group

Macritch Hill Wind Factory

An application for 18 x 125 metre/410 feet high wind turbines on land at the

Backwater Reservoir, Glenisla

 Scottish Water and ENECO Energy have submitted a planning application for permission to build an industrial wind factory on land at the Backwater Reservoir, Glenisla in the beautiful and unspoilt Angus Glens. The application is for 18 huge wind turbines (125 metre/410 feet to blade tip) plus ancillary works.

If approved, the visual impact of this development would destroy a local beauty spot, located on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, which is popular with anglers, bird watchers, paddlers and walkers alike.  Further, it will have a negative impact on visitor numbers and the local businesses which rely on these same visitors for survival.

There are already large numbers of turbines in the area, either operational or consented and many more applications in the pipeline : the cumulative impact, if this application is approved, would result in an unacceptable loss of amenity for residents and visitors alike. In addition, the number and scale of turbines would create intolerable noise disturbance for local residents, coupled with the associated health problems.

Damage to wildlife, bird life and the environment would be catastrophic - blasting of borrow pits, and the use of thousands of tonnes of toxic concrete in the construction phase alone would devastate this beautiful environment which is a sanctuary to so many.

The application is contrary to local planning guidelines : this area of Angus has no capacity for industrial scale wind turbine development.

PLEASE OBJECT TO THIS APPLICATION - CLOSING DATE 20 FEBRUARY 2015

All representations must be made direct to the Energy Consents Unit at the Scottish Government, clearly marked 'Macritch Hill'

Email : 'representations@scotland.gsi.gov.uk'

Mail :
Energy Consents and Development Unit
Scottish Government
4th Floor
5 Atlantic Quay
150 Broomielaw
Glasgow
G2 8LU

You should also copy your objection, simultaneously, to Angus Council Planning Dept - their reference number for Macritch is : 15/00047/S36. Their email is planning@angus.gov.uk

There may also be merit in copying in Graeme Dey MSP, to ensure that he is made aware of the strength of feeling. His email address is : 'graeme.Dey.msp@scottish.parliament.uk'

Grateful if you would share this information as widely as you can - every objection will count.

Thank you.