SCOTTISHPOWER is well named.
It has real power. Dersalloch Wind Farm near Straiton, Ayrshire, is to have 23 giant turbines. Around 5,000 objections were put forward and objectors included ornithologists, walking groups, lovers of Scottish scenery, the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory and planners from the two local councils.
The Scottish Government overruled all of them in favour of ScottishPower.
The announcement was made at the time of the opening of the Commonwealth Games. Was it just a coincidence that all the news media would be covering the Games and this important statement would be overlooked? This application should have triggered a public local inquiry. Now there will be a petition for a judicial review.
But, even though the judicial process is under way, ScottishPower has started site investigation. For five weeks it has been excavating the ground with machines and have set up a base with offices and temporary buildings.
Why has started these works before the outcome of the review is known?
Peter Holden,
18 Main Street,
Straiton, South Ayrshire.
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