July 13, 2007
Scotland
Scotland
Proposals for a community wind farm on the hills above Selkirk will not go ahead unless locals agree, the head of the local regeneration group has said.
The pledge was made by Dr Lindsay Neil, chairman of the Selkirk Regeneration Group.
The group has passed a report on the idea of building turbines on common land to the community council.
But the site is controversial because it is close to the Common Riding route and the Southern Upland Way.
However, the group believes building turbines would mean cash as well as green power for the town.
If the bid wins local support, it would see three or four turbines built in a valley beneath Peat Law on the town’s North Common. The owner of the land has already expressed his support for the plan.
‘Public meeting’
Dr Neil said it was important locals were given as much information as possible so they could make their own minds up about the proposals.
He added: “No decision can be taken without the community of Selkirk being consulted and without finding out what they want done.
“We need a public meeting for people to discuss it and find out more about it.
“We also have to get somebody in who knows something about community-run windfarms and can advise us about it, where the pitfalls are and all the rest of it.”
The windfarm is modelled on similar community-run turbines on Shetland and Ghia.
13 July 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/07/13/wind-farm-needs-local-support/