November 11, 2011
Scotland

Group to oppose turbines

Montrose Review, www.montrosereview.co.uk 11 November 2011

An action group has been set up in Ferryden to oppose GlaxoSmithKline’s plans for two 400-feet high turbines.

Around a dozen people have signed up to the group, which was formed after Ferryden Community Council’s meeting on Thursday. A website, No Way GSK, has also been set up.

The group held its first meeting at the end of last week to discuss its strategy for when the company submits its planning application for the structure, expected to be later this month.

During the community council meeting Tina McLean, who lives within sight of the Cobden Street factory, suggested a dedicated sub-committee be formed. She revealed that the action group will be open to anyone in the area concerned about the £8 million proposal.

She said: “It won’t just be us but people in Montrose near the site who’ll be concerned.”

The group will distribute information leaflets around the village to keep residents informed of its activities, which member Ian Paton said had proved effective in attracting a capacity audience to a public meeting in September.

Mrs McLean also suggested that its activities could we widened out in an attempt to gauge public opinion in Montrose itself.

The website has been set up by opponents in Montrose and Ferryden who are “concerned about GSK’s proposed wind turbines and the negative impact these would have on our local environment”.

They say: “We’re not against GSK, they’ve done a lot of good for Montrose in the past. And we’re not even against wind turbines in principle. Just not this big, and not this close to the town centre. Luckily we live in a society where we all have a legal and democratic right to object.”

The site also provides a link to an online petition at GoPetition.com, which has attracted 171 signatures since August.

One supporter, ‘Pete’, said on the website: “No issues with wind power or any other alternative (currently paying more than normal to have wind energy at my house to help the environment). GSK, why don’t you step up to the plate and if you really want to ‘go green’ be pro-active, don’t install two. Instead put in several but put them between Scurdie Ness, Mains of Usan, and Lunan Bay on farmland/coast/rocks.

“The landowners/farmers get lease/rental fee and access to the energy produced (similar to cell tower leases). You also now have a viable and possibly affordable energy source for the community to bargain with over current priced electricity along with getting the energy source you crave for GSK.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/11/11/group-to-oppose-turbines/