April 10, 2015
Scotland

Almost 200 windfarm applications made

Cumnock Chronicle | Published: 09/04/2015 | www.cumnockchronicle.com

The figures, obtained by the Scottish Conservatives through Freedom of Information statistics, reveal the level of applications for windfarms of more than three turbines, with rural local authorities bearing the brunt of the submissions.

As well as applications for large developments, there were also 1178 requests for smaller scale wind projects – working out at nearly three a day.

Dumfries and Galloway came second with the number of applications received, narrowly behind the Western Isles.

The Scottish Conservatives have previously called for local authorities to be granted a year-long moratorium in dealing with new windfarm proposals, allowing them to spend more time dealing with the current influx.

Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Murdo Fraser said: “These figures show the stream of windfarm applications to Scotland’s rural councils shows no sign of easing.

“The SNP’s ludicrous targets and constant rhetoric on wind energy has given these companies the green light to submit application after application.

“It puts a massive strain on council planning departments, which in turn causes anxiety to those in communities whose surroundings would be severely impaired.

“Onshore wind has a place as part of a balanced energy approach, but the Scottish Government has placed far too much emphasis on them.

“Windfarms are intermittent, unreliable and expensive – for the SNP to be so utterly dependent on them is naïve and potentially damaging.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/04/10/almost-200-windfarm-applications-made/