May 25, 2020
Scotland

East Renfrewshire doesn’t need any more wind turbines, says Scotland Against Spin

By Kevin McRoberts | Glasgow South and Eastwood Extra | Monday, 25th May 2020 | www.glasgowsouthandeastwoodextra.co.uk

A campaign group has spoken out against plans for more wind turbines in East Renfrewshire.

Scotland Against Spin – an independent alliance campaigning for the reform of what it says is the Scottish Government’s unsustainable wind energy policy – says East Renfrewshire already has way more than its fair share of wind turbines.

Plans were submitted last month by Moorshield Wind Farm Ltd for the erection of three 81m high wind turbines, together with sub-station/control building and access tracks, on land to the east of Shieldhill Farm, off Ayr Road, Loganswell, not far from Eaglesham.

But Graham Lang, of Scotland Against Spin, said: “It should be noted that this is the third planning application for this site.

“Moorhouse Wind Farm consisting of 19 turbines was refused both by East Renfrewshire Council and at appeal by a Scottish Government Reporter in 2012.

“It was then reduced to six turbines and renamed Soame Wind Farm, which was again refused by East Renfrewshire Council and at appeal.

“It has now been resurrected once again under yet another name and reduced to three turbines but with an increase in height which will make the turbines now much bigger and out of sync with those at neighbouring Whitelee.”

The site, although within East Renfrewshire, sits on the border with East Ayrshire whose council objected to both of the previous applications.

Mr Lang added: “Is it not obvious that any development on this particular site is completely unacceptable?”

A recent freedom of information request by Scotland Against Spin to the Scottish Government revealed that East Renfrewshire had by far the greatest density (per square kilometre) of industrial turbines in the whole of Scotland.

According to the government’s data, as of the end of 2019, East Renfrewshire has 159 wind turbines, working out at 0.913 turbines per square kilometre of the local authority area. Nowhere else comes close – South Lanarkshire is next with 0.270 turbines per square kilometre of its area.

Mr Lang said: “Not all the turbines in East Renfrewshire are at Whitelee. There are also Middleton and Neilston wind farms, and a vast number of small and medium developments, particularly in the Neilston/Uplawmoor area.

“The last thing East Renfrewshire needs is another wind farm.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/05/25/east-renfrewshire-doesnt-need-any-more-wind-turbines-says-scotland-against-spin/