It is now a year since the Scottish Government failed to give the green light to an onshore wind farm application. | The Galloway Gazette | Thursday, 13th January 2022 | www.gallowaygazette.co.uk
It is now a year since the Scottish Government failed to give the green light to an onshore wind farm application.
The last one not to receive Holyrood’s approval was the North Lowther bid in January 2021.
However, the next ten were all been granted, including three in Dumfries and Galloway – Windy Standard, Cornharrow and Fell Windfarm.
That totals 37 turbines for the area which campaigners say is already at saturation point.
The Scottish Government has ruled on 19 applications since the pandemic started at end of March 2020, of those, 13 were approved and six were rejected.
Iain Milligan, spokesman for Save Our Hills, said: “It’s worrying that the Scottish Government has decided to approve so many wind farm applications during a pandemic.
“Throughout much of the pandemic it was impossible for people to get out and see for themselves what impact these wind farms would have.
“In addition, many would have been occupied with keeping themselves and their families safe, meaning they wouldn’t be able to engage with these applications as they would have wished.
“People will emerge from this period and find that the landscape around them is being wrecked, with many parts of Scotland at saturation point with onshore wind.
“As a group we appreciate the need for alternative energy sources, but there is a responsibility on the government to protect Scotland’s landscape too.”
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2022/01/14/ministers-under-fire-for-approving-dumfries-and-galloway-wind-farms-during-pandemic/