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

Dark Sky chief quit over wind farm pressure 

Credit:  by Shân Ross | The Scotsman | 23 March 2014 | www.scotsman.com ~~

The former manager of the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory (SDSO) has claimed he was forced to resign after being pressured by the landowner to publicly oppose wind farm ­developments.

The £600,000 observatory on the Craigengillan Estate in Dalmellington, Ayrshire, was opened by First Minister Alex Salmond in October 2012 with high hopes of attracting visitors to help regenerate the former mining community.

But since then the publicly funded observatory has seen turbulent times with two managers, its patron Professor John Brown, the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, and four of five scientist trustees quitting.

Now Rob Ince, the former manager who resigned last December, has claimed he left because Craigengillan’s owner, Mark Gibson, used his position as member and former chair of the charitable trust running SDSO, to impose his views about wind farms on proposed developments in the area.

He said: “When I started the job in January 2013 I thought it was a dream come true. But after the first few months the wind farm issued emerged.

“Mark Gibson tried to get me to make statements and attend meetings claiming infrared lights on wind farm masts, in areas around but not on his land, would interfere with the observatory. He was saying ‘we can’t let them in’.

“I attended two meetings concerning the proposed Burnhead wind farm project. Prior to one, Mark was pressurising me to say the proposed wind turbines would have a greater effect than they would, such as their physical presence on the horizon.

“There was also the question of the proposed South Kyle wind farm. For that I created a Google Earth model showing the Trust it would have no impact on the observatory. Mark refused to accept this.”

Yesterday Gibson, who spoke about wind farms at the Scottish Parliament at the Trump Inquiry, denied pressurising Ince.

He said: “That is not the case at all. The decision to leave was his entirely and he was asked to think about it for a few days.

“We have a very clear policy on how to deal with any development which might affect the observatory. Each development is considered on merit with input from all the managers and trustees.

“But wind farms are a potential threat to the observatory. First of all they are huge. There would be a man-made structure protruding on the horizon. The sort of impact would be the physical disruption of the horizon which physically blocks parts of the day and night sky. There is also the question of lighting which can be visible or infrared.”

Prof Brown gave as one of his reasons for resigning in February “the collapse of my efforts to mediate in rows between Craigengillan and SDSO over issues including wind farm objections, manager accommodation and budget control”.

He said no use had ever been made of his offer of astronomy expertise.

Former trustee Colin Anderson, who was the architect for the observatory, said his main reasons for resigning were the wind farms issue and the lack of accommodation for Ince.

Source:  by Shân Ross | The Scotsman | 23 March 2014 | www.scotsman.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