The Scottish government has once again been accused of being in the pocket of the multi million pound wind energy corporations and the rich landowners who most benefit from having industrial developments on their land after granting planning permission for a huge 48 turbine wind farm at Fallogo Rig. In this case-apart from the shareholders of North British Windpower and the European energy giant EDF Energy- the main beneficiary of the controversial project in the beautiful Lammermuir Hills is the wealthy Duke of Roxburghe.
Despite being overwhelmingly opposed by local people,The Scottish Borders Council and community councils,as expected the Salmond administration followed their big business friendly instincts and rejected the well founded conservation arguements.
Jim Hume, Liberal Democrat MSP for the South of Scotland, expressed disappointment at the way in which the controversial wind farm proposal was handled adding: “There has been considerable controversy since the start of the application which was rejected by Scottish Borders Council, and frankly people have lost faith in the planning system.
“Whilst people accept that wind energy can form part of the renewable mix, it’s absolutely vital that every proposal must not be detrimental to the local environment.
“Critically, there also has to be a focus on the long term impact of any development.
“I have asked the Environment Minister on several occasions to create a national strategy that will oversee developments because at the moment, the situation is being led by private companies.
“That’s unsustainable, untenable and frankly does not help create public confidence in the planning system.”
Local opponents were naturally disappointed to hear that work on the wind farm will soon be underway. Mark Rowley, chairman, Cranshaws, Ellemford & Longformacus Community Council, said: “Those of us who live in, or love to visit the Lammermuir Hills will be greatly saddened to hear the announcement consenting the Fallago Rig windfarm.
“Everyone understands that this huge 48 turbine development will rip into the very heart of the Lammermuir Hills Area of Great Landscape Value, an area that is all the more important because of the increasing numbers of windfarm developments around the edges of the Lammermuirs. The Reporter herself recognises that the cumulative landscape and visual impacts will be significant.
“The Minister’s statement is mischievous in the extreme. There is no evidence to support his claim that the development would lead to 600 jobs, nor that it would “represent a significant boost to the local economy”. Our experience of many windfarms is that they add nothing to the local economy and destroying our greatest asset, our habitat and landscape can only harm the prospects of the Borders.
“That the Minister is “delighted” at “the co-operation of all concerned” shows how misguided and ill-informed he is when there is robust community objection to this scheme; both the local community councils objected, Scottish Borders Council and East Lothian Council objected, all of the neighbouring estates objected as did the Government’s own watchdog, Scottish Natural Heritage.
“If there was “delightful co-operation” it was between the developers, the Scottish Government and the MOD - all of whom seem very close.
“Sadly, far from being the “centrepiece of Scotland’s renewable legacy” that Mr Mather hopes, Fallago will be a legacy of hundreds of tonnes of concrete and miles of tracks across an unspoilt area of great landscape value. It will wreck a protected landscape that he should cherish. Mr Mather must have some form of Jekyll and Hyde personality - that he can inflict such decisions when he is also Scotland’s tourism minister is bizarre. The Southern Upland Way is effectively becoming the Southern Windfarm Way.
“As a community we have consistently opposed this windfarm, not because we are anti renewables, but because we understand that this is such a significant and central site that construction here would degrade the landscape and environment of the entire Lammermuirs.
“We now face growing concerns, not just about national security but our own security. The MoD have already acknowledged that their air defence radars are more badly affected by Crystal Rig than they expected and they told us at the Public Inquiry that Fallago would cause a radar black hole several kilometers across.
“What they don’t mention is that we are just a few miles from Torness nuclear power station and that the UK Government has recently ranked terrorist attacks or major incidents as “Tier 1” threats!
“As David Bellamy said - to consent Fallago would be to declare open war on the countryside. It seems clear that that is what the Scottish Government are keen to do as with other local applications, such as Wester Dod & Rowantree, they are doing everything they can to even avoid the scrutiny of Public Local Inquiries.”
Additional reporting from the Berwickshire News
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