Unfair system
The Scotsman | 11 March 2014 | www.scotsman.com
I have a problem with the planning system. We are told by the Scottish Government that the system is working well but is it?
ABO Wind has submitted its application for an anemometer mast for its proposed wind farm at Kilmorack and Strathglass.
The submission follows a letter that was sent to its three directors in Germany, endorsed by more than 400 individuals and 80 businesses, telling the company that the community would not accept its proposed industrial wind turbine development under any circumstances.
ABO responded but did not seem to grasp the fact that it was not wanted and promptly put its mast application in. Apparently, this application has to be supported or objected to for what it is – a mast – ie not a precursor to a wind farm.
The mast is 80m tall – higher than the Kessock Bridge and nearly as tall as a Fairburn turbine.
ABO wishes to plonk it in our community for five years – two years longer than usual mast applications – with no explanation as to why or any visualisations to show impact or assessment of its risk to the very special birds that are regularly seen in this area.
If the mast has to be considered by residents as only a mast then one assumes the planners have to do the same. Anything else would surely be double standards and grossly unfair.
So how could a council possibly approve an application for a dominating, alien structure that has no benefit or purpose in our stunning landscape?
It is certainly not in the national interest and the community has said a very strong “no” to such industrialisation.
Which is more important: the local community and people who live here or ABO – which doesn’t?
Lyndsey Ward
Breakachy
Beauly
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/11/unfair-system/