August 27, 2016
Scotland

Councillor calls university churlish over Kenly plans

Fife Today | 26 August 2016 | www.fifetoday.co.uk

A St Andrews councillor has hit back at St Andrews University over its comments on public consultation with regard to Kenly wind farm.

Last week the Citizen reported a university spokesman as saying it had been “right not to engage in any detailed consultation with the community before plans were approved” for a 33v underground cable and a substation to serve the proposed windfarm.

Now Councillor Dorothea Morrison has described the university’s comments as “churlish” and accused the institution of ignoring the reasoning of councillors in rejecting the plans. She said remarks were unhelpful for good town and gown relationships and continued: “In recent years town and gown have worked well together. It is hoped this will continue even when there are disagreements between university and elected members.”

She said a site visit by councillors had not answered their questions because of lack of information, continuing: “Elected members have a duty to their constituents to be satisfied that they have sufficient information before them to make a decision. Too many questions remained unanswered to accept the recommendation for approval.”

A university spokesman responded this week: “We’re disappointed and a little puzzled that Cllr Morrison appears to have deliberately ignored the very full statement made by our Quaestor and Factor Derek Watson last week in which he explained why we had decided not to ask the community to engage in a consultation exercise at this stage. Without a radar mitigation solution, this project cannot go ahead and there is no sense on consulting about a cable which may never be laid to a wind farm which may never be built. As we have stated repeatedly, if or when a radar mitigation solution is found, we will consult fully.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/08/27/councillor-calls-university-churlish-over-kenly-plans/