October 21, 2010
Scotland

Still no results for Blackcraig

by Stuart Gillespie, Galloway News, icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk 14 October 2010

The results of a public inquiry into plans for a wind farm in the Glenkens have still to be published – almost a year after it finished.

The inquiry into Scottish and Southern Energy’s proposals for the 23 turbine development at Blackcraig closed in December 2009.

And with no decision imminent, MP Russell Brown has now written to Enterprise Minister Jim Mather asking for the process to be hurried along.

In February 2007, councillors lodged an objection with the then Scottish Executive against the plans and a year later a public inquiry began.

In April 2008 it was suspended when the inquiry’s reporter asked for time to investigate the impact of wind turbines on radar systems.

A year later SSE asked for another suspension so they could discuss matters with National Air Traffic Services and the inquiry eventually resumed in October 2009, closing two months later.

The News this week contacted the Scottish Government to ask when the results would be published and also whether such a length of time was normal for an application of this nature.

In response, a Scottish Government spokesman said: “Scottish Ministers received the report from the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals on April 19.

“Ministers will make a determination as soon as possible once all outstanding issues are resolved.”

With no end seemingly in sight, Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown has now written to Jim Mather, the Minister for Enterprise, asking for things to be sped-up.

Mr Brown said: “I have written to the Scottish Government Minister and called on him to make a decision as soon as possible.

“The public inquiry has already been delayed for far too long and local people want to know the outcome. It finished last year but there has just been silence from the Government.

“There is a great deal of frustration among the local community and they want answers.

“We need a decision as it’s not fair that local people and businesses have had to put up with this uncertainty for so long.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/10/21/still-no-results-for-blackcraig/