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Scottish Government reporter system an affront to democracy
Credit: The Courier | January 24, 2019 | www.thecourier.co.uk ~~
I am not surprised that Bill Thomson of Braco and SNP Councillor Tom Gray (Shock as government approves proposal for unpopular wind farm, Courier, January 21) are appalled by the decision of the reporter appointed by the Scottish Government’s Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals to overturn Perth and Kinross Planning Authority’s decision to kick out the Greenscares, aka Glenalmond wind farm application.
But should they be surprised with the Scottish Government’s flawed energy policy predicated on renewables?
Developers are kicking at an open door in Scotland.
More so since the Westminster Government’s decision only to allow wind farm development where communities welcome them.
Few communities would want to live beside a wind farm. In Scotland most wind farm developments have been refused by planning committees made up of democratically- elected councillors often supporting recommendations made by planning officers.
These applications are carefully scrutinised by planners and often by qualified landscape architects who assess the landscape impacts as unacceptable.
These applications are also usually objected to by droves of local residents or people who value the landscape qualities that are being assaulted.
Then along comes a DPEA Reporter whose layman’s qualification in landscape assessment will be sketchy at best and who disagrees with the professionals and decides that the application before them is acceptable.
So much for democracy in Scotland.
Graham Lang,
Scotland Against Spin,
Westermost, Ceres,
Cupar, Fife.
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