Windfarm applications cause air of discontent

Oct 9 2009 by Sharon Liptrott, Dumfries Standard Friday

OPPOSITION to the proliferation of windfarms in Annandale and Eskdale is gathering force with lobbying to the Scottish Government.

The area could end up with as many as nine windfarms erected by various companies.

Some residents in the Waterbeck area could potentially have four separate developments within five kilometres.

According to Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell the controversial issue of windfarm applications was high on his constituents’ list of concerns in Annandale and Eskdale during the summer surgery tour he has just completed.

He says it is clear that the area – which has several anti-windfarm lobby groups – is being overwhelmed by bids for large scale windfarms.

And he has written to Stewart Stevenson MSP, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change to say “enough is enough”. The MP has also been in touch with Dumfries and Galloway Council on the issue.

He said: “I want the Scottish Government to be clear on where it stands on the issue of cumulative impact of these windfarms and, in particular, what is being done to access that impact across local authority boundaries as well as in areas where there is a significant number of developments coming forward in a relatively small geography, for example, Waterbeck.”

In his letter, he said: “My constituents are not nimbys and, like me, are supportive of renewable energy but they do wonder at what point you determine that there are sufficient wind turbines in the area and who will make that decision.”

The MP has also asked the council to clarify its policy in relation to windfarms and if it actively seeks to encourage development.

There are already two operational windfarms in Annandale and Eskdale – 17 turbines at Risp Hill on Minsca Farm between Waterbeck and Lockerbie, which was a £40 million scheme by Airtricity Development Scotland, and four at Carlesgill, Langholm. Approval has been given for 71-turbines at Harestanes Heights near Ae Forest.

An application by CRE Energy for 22 turbines at Ewe Hill near Waterbeck, is currently being determined by the Scottish Executive. In the meantime, the company has submitted plans for six of the proposed wind turbines to be erected on Ewe Hill ahead of the proposed 22-turbine scheme.

The Scottish Executive is also considering applications for a 36-turbine Earlshaugh windfarm by Wind Energy on top of the Devil’s Beeftub near Moffat, and the Clyde windfarm of 161 turbines on the hills between Moffat and Biggar.

In recent months Renewable Energy Systems have lodged plans for a proposed 21 wind turbines Solwaybank scheme at Allfornought Hill, Chapelknowe, north of Gretna.

RES has also submitted fresh plans for a windfarm on exposed moorland within the Earl of Annandale’s estate at St Ann’s near Lockerbie.

Original plans for 15 wind turbines at Minnygap on the estate, which attracted 213 letters of objection, were rejected in September 2007. RES appealed the decision but withdrew the application before the hearing.

Their Minnygap Wind Farm2, located 8km south west of Moffat, is for 10 turbines. Plans are expected to be submitted soon for a proposed 26-turbine windfarm at Newfield near Sibbaldbie.