LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Wild land protection from wind turbines 

Credit:  By Andrew Keddie | Border Telegraph | 20 Dec 2013 | www.bordertelegraph.com ~~

The region’s more remote and rugged areas need protection from further wind farm developments and blanket afforestation.

That was the clear message sent out from the chamber of Scottish Borders Council on Thursday.

There were currently over 600 wind turbines, either operating or with planning consent, in the Borders, while tens of thousands of acres are swathed in Sitca Spruce.

A new map, being prepared by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), seeks to identify “core areas of wild land” which, when adopted at Holyrood next year, will put them beyond the reach of renewable energy companies.

However, a draft map considered by the council last week, highlights just two areas in the Borders out of 43 sites across Scotland.

And both of these – the hills of Dollar Law, Broad Law and Black Law along with Talla’s spectacular Hare Fells – are at Tweedsmuir.

Asked to submit their views by December 20, councillors unanimously agreed to tell SNH that a “more comprehensive approach” to rugged land protection, as part of the national planning process, was required.

“There should be identification of smaller, more local areas of wildness,” stated an agreed council submission.

“This is critical to protect areas which have high societal value due to their balance between wildness and accessibility.

“The council would like to see local areas of relative wildness given more policy protection.

“It is critical to protect these areas from all types of inappropriate development.”

The council decided not to name specific local areas which should be protected in its official response to SNH, but the Lammermuirs, Moorfoots, Cheviots and Liddesdale were all cited during the debate as warranting special status.

Councillor Gavin Logan (Tweeddale East) told the meeting: “The area between the Tweed and Yarrow valleys is a perfect example of relative wildness where people can escape from the centres of population and which provides significant economic benefits by attracting visitors.

“When you stand at the top of Minchmoor for example it is like being lost in time, yet this site, along with Broadmeadows, has already been targeted by wind farm operators.

“Fortunately, both these planning applications were turned down, but it is essential that more formal protection is put in place.”

Source:  By Andrew Keddie | Border Telegraph | 20 Dec 2013 | www.bordertelegraph.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon