Chamber and committees

Greta Roberts submission of 7 June 2021

PE1864/R - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms

I have lived/worked in East Ayrshire for 50 years when coal open casting ravaged our uplands, then being replaced by windfarms. We see neither economic nor environmental benefit to communities.

Residents have participated in David v Goliath Public Local Inquiries (PLI), but our Council, being fearful of costs incurred or claimed, seems increasingly reluctant to object as this would then trigger an appeal/PLI.

Local authorities decide whether developments with a capacity of less than 50 megawatts are approved or not. However, even with many local objections, councillors faced with reading reports often 100 pages long, are reluctant to ask questions of either locals or developers. Lest they display their ignorance of complex applications.

We, the residents affected by windfarms however, bravely read through the avalanche of Environmental Impact Assessments, (EIAs) and participate in the planning process, at great cost in time/effort.

We do not have the professional/financial resources like developers, but our incentive is to protect our homes, rural communities & open rural environment.

We want green networks in our countryside, not networks of kinetic steel structures which may kill birds and insects and destroy our land.

I note with concern that Scottish Power Renewables (SPR) position statement on the draft National Planning Framework 4( NPF4) in which SPR advocates the need for more greenfield sites for renewables. Why not reuse former Power Station sites?

Of even more concern is their objection to restricting development on peatland.

Given the value of peat & carbon rich soils there can be no ‘appropriate development’ there.

Windfarm development with its impact on peatland, local drainage patterns, private water supplies, forestry, removal of upland farms cannot replace our valuable natural carbon sinks.

I support this petition. On-shore windfarm developments affect us, yet most decisions on windfarms are made remotely, often by Scottish Ministers.

Even SPR states that:

‘Communities are key stakeholders in the consultation and determination of applications’

Our experience is that renewables developers regard local concerns of little importance and find us an added nuisance.

The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 also places importance on the purpose of planning to manage development and use of land in the long-term public interest.

We are the public and have councillors elected to represent us.

Most remain silent at local planning committees.

We have heard little from MSPs either.

We expect more effort in the future to support their constituents.