Chamber and committees

Sue Hall submission of 8 June 2021

PE1864/S - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms

On behalf of Stop Sanquhar II Windfarm Action Group, and as Secretary of Tynron Community Council, I would like to support the above petition.

Our reasons for supporting this petition are:

Scotland needs to adopt the English planning legislation process for the determination of onshore wind farm developments

Windfarms are increasing in turbine height and number, and are being proposed for areas not considered suitable for wind farm developments within the scope of current local development plans. However, developers seem to ignore these limitations, and Stop Sanquhar II will be representing the views of 6 Community Councils which have objected to Sanquhar II windfarm in an upcoming Public Inquiry.

We believe that the adoption of planning legislation such as that in England where there is strict adherence to local development plans which have previously been the subject of public consultation, would direct developers to suitable sites where there is less likelihood of objection from local planning authorities and communities. The current Scottish legislation process is leading to stress for communities, expense for developers, and extended timescales for all parties.

We need adequate and relevant professional help to engage in the planning system.

Our communities (and Community Councils) are currently objecting to Sanquhar II windfarm with little or no experience of the process. We do not have the financial resources that windfarm developers have, or the access to the multiplicity of experts required to investigate all the issues raised. Our knowledge of the legal system is minimal/non-existent. The plethora of complex and technical documents that lay-people need to understand in order to fully participate in the process is overwhelming and time consuming, particularly for people who have full time employment and domestic commitments.

Issues with rural broadband limitations, particularly during the recent restrictions imposed in the Covid pandemic have resulted in us having even greater constraints on us getting our message into the public domain, researching the scientific data, policies and developments that would help our objectives, or merely staying in touch with other members of our group and communities.

Additionally, our communities have found that we are fighting multiple planning applications at the same time. Increasingly wind farm developers appear to be placing a burden of communication, such as community consultations, public meetings, fielding questions, dealing with specific issues on homes and businesses, on already over-stretched community councils. At the moment we are actively opposing Sanquhar II windfarm, Euchanhead windfarm is currently with the Scottish Government, and we understand Lorg windfarm will shortly be submitted to the Scottish Government for scoping. These windfarms together will form one continuous super-windfarm in an area of stunning natural beauty, extensive social and cultural heritage, and enormous biodiversity.

Euchanhead wind farm was submitted for planning consent to the Scottish Government during the Covid lock down, making effective communication incredibly difficult. One of its ‘public consultations’ was held on-line, effectively disenfranchising people with poor/no broadband.

Community councillors and anti-windfarm campaigners are unpaid volunteers. We have limited time and financial resources to effectively consider and respond to all of these applications. Fund raising is difficult, and we have no idea of the financial costs of each applications, Public Inquiries, and possible appeals. In stark contrast, each windfarm application is supported and resourced by separate developers with their own teams of experts and, seemingly limitless, funding.

Our communities are facing David and Goliath battles of epic proportions.

Before a single turbine has been built, the glens of our communities have been cleared of residents as a direct consequence of Sanquhar II, and we have lost homes, businesses, and a part of the lifeblood of our community as a result. Further clearances of our rural populations will continue as a direct consequence of windfarms. Private water supply impacts, shadow flicker, noise, loss of visual amenity, destruction of ecosystems, and destruction of residents’ plans and dreams for the future could be avoided if communities were better able to contribute to, and have that contribution valued and considered in, the planning process.

We need an independent advocate to ensure local participants are not bullied and intimidated during public inquiries

We have encountered a number of people who would be impacted by windfarms but who have been unwilling to come forward because of stories of bullying and intimidation at Public Inquiries. As a result, we believe that the full impacts of wind farms on communities, individuals and/or our environment may not be adequately represented by people who know the area intimately.

Our communities and Community Councils understand that the urgent need for alternatives to fossil fuels is unequivocal. However, the current generation of proposed wind turbines cast long shadows over our communities. We believe the time, money and energy taken up by opposing unsuitable developments in the wrong places could be far better used in developing sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels that would better preserve our communities, our rural populations, our biodiversity and heritage, and provide long term sustainable jobs in our areas.