Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Chris Walsh submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/JJJ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
I write in support of the above petition.
In my opinion there is a lack of substantial engagement with communities that are directly affected by onshore wind farms.
Local knowledge, by people who live and work in the areas directly impacted by onshore wind, is not given the correct weight when planning decisions are made. Years of experience living and working in the landscape cannot be replicated by developer desktop studies and infrequent site walk overs yet in my experience little weight is given to this local knowledge and it is often overridden.
The financial cost to local individuals and communities to put forward their view at public enquiry is prohibitive. Due to the lack of weight given to local knowledge and the legal nature of public enquiries, the costs of engaging a professional team are high. Additionally, I have direct experience of trying to engage a hydrologist to ensure my private water supply is adequately protected from an onshore wind development yet I could not find one who was willing to undertake the work as they all work for onshore wind developers and did not want to compromise future work with them. This makes it a very uneven playing field.
Additionally, there is no let-up in onshore wind developers submitting planning applications for the same area. This often results in the local community having to fund numerous enquiries. In the last 6 years my local community has had to respond to 3 wind farm applications, 2 of which are for the same site and run concurrently. That is an enormous financial burden for local communities to take and one which they feel they must undertake yet the money could be used elsewhere.
A more level playing field is required by giving local communities the power of veto over a development. If developers properly engage and listen to communities, and take action where necessary, there is every chance they will take the local community along with them, gain planning permission and deliver a better scheme. The current system allows developers to ignore local knowledge, as they ultimately know the planning decision will not be taken at a local level. This creates community mistrust and has the potential to lead to bad planning decisions and poorly considered schemes when built out.
Related correspondences
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Scottish Government submission of 1 June 2021
PE1864/A - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alec Kidd submission of 2 June 2021
PE1864/B - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Christopher Shaw submission of 3 June 2021
PE1864/C - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Helen Braynis submission of 3 June 2021
PE1864/D - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Elaine Nisbet submission of 5 June 2021
PE1864/E - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Victoria Boyle submission of 3 June 2021
PE1864/F - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Iain Milligan submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/G - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
John Logan submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/H - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Janet and Michael Holley submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/I - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Tracey Smith submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/J - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Matthew Reiss submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/K - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Jerry Mulders submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/L - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
William Jackson submission of 5 June 2021
PE1864/M - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Caithness West Community Council submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/N - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
J W Ponton submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/O - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
George Herraghty submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/P - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Ian Miller submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/Q - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Greta Roberts submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/R - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Sue Hall submission of 8 June 2021
PE1864/S - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
June and Ed Hall submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/T - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alison Johnston submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/U - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Andrew Chadderton submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/V - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
James Tanner submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/W - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Amanda Rofe submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/X - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Howard and Grace Goldstein submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/Y - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Trevor Procter submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/Z - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Petitioner submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/AA - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Moraig Lyall submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864_BB - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Angus Farquhar submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864/CC - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Brian Johnstone submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864/DD - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Elaine Procter submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864/EE - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Hazel Appleton submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864_FF - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Peter Dunn submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864_GG - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
John Edmondson submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864/HH - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Petitioner submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/II - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Rosemary Milne submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/JJ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Elinor Ross submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/KK - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alan Cairns submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/LL - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Celia Hobbs submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/MM - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Rachel Connor submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/NN - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Brian Bell submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/OO - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Ronald and Irene Bain submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/PP - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Chris Fawcett submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/QQ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Jane Dickson submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/RR - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
John Chapman submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/SS - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Fiona Ainslie submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/TT - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alison Chapman submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/UU - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Rowland Shallcross submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/VV - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
David Scott submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/WW - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Patricia Brander submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/XX - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alison and Paul Garrod submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/YY - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
James Taylor submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/ZZ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Bob Chicken submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/AAA - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Simon Arnold submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/BBB - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Norrie McLeod submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/CCC - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Lorna McClean submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/DDD - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Lyndsey Ward submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/EEE - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Dr Guy Vernham submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/FFF - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Elizabeth and Ian Richardson submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/GGG - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Frank Hay submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/HHH - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Mary Young submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/III - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms