Planning Anarchy

The planning anarchy that we're facing in Scotland over windfarms is getting to the point of becoming so serious that unless it's checked a catastrophe is looming. I have a letter in today's Scotsman which illustrates the point.

Anarchy over wind farms
In 2005 a study, commissioned by East Lothian Council and Scottish Natural Heritage, to assess suitable wind farm sites concluded that the "vast majority" of the East Lothian countryside was unsuitable for future schemes. In particular, it raised concerns about the visual impact of a wind farm on the site recently put forward at Aikengall, about six miles south of Dunbar.

Two years on, the planning department recommends against granting the application for a wind farm at Aikengall and the councillors of East Lothian reject their advice. But only because the convenor of the committee, Norman Hampshire, used his casting vote to push through the proposal.


He decided: "This will be good for the Lammermuirs and will be good for the global environment." Quite how this will be good for the Lammermuirs, which is fast becoming the wind farm capital of Scotland, he didn't explain.

If ever we needed some joined up thinking from the Scottish Executive, now is the time. I don't deny we need renewable energy. What we need is leadership from the Executive to prevent planning anarchy from causing the ruination of our countryside.

The fact is that with the coming Scottish elections nothing is going to get done in the short term. The lack of any leadership from the Executive continues to be very worrying, but not unexpected. Like most politicians these days it’s about distancing oneself from the issues to avoid any mud sticking. What is even more worrying is will it be any different with a new parliament?

Organizations like SNH are becoming much more vociferous in the condemnation of many wind farm applications. Strangely VisitScotland remain silent on the matter. They should be ashamed of themselves.