THE disgraceful decision by North Ayrshire Council planning department to ignore the many protests and objections to the ruination of Holy Isle, Arran by permitting the erection of a wind farm (“Unholy row breaks out over Buddhist monks’ wind farm”, The Herald, October 3 and Letters, October 3 & 5), is perhaps to be expected of a body that seems to have no interest or appreciation of the beauty of an island and the countryside that its employees can probably see from their offices in Irvine, should they ever look.

What is rather more sinister is the Buddhists’ thoughtlessness, which results in desecrating this island of Saint Molaise with their proposed wind farm. They have swept aside their philosophical utterings by wishing to erect a wind farm on a bird-rich island that does not need it and will result in killing many birds, some rare, as these installations have done elsewhere. The six turbines will produce far more electricity than the islands few houses requires, but no doubt the excess will be “exported” and make a nice little earner. Solar panels could do the same job without the killing.

It will be interesting to see how the Buddhists plan to mitigate against the destruction of nesting birds, bats and otters, as required by the planning consent. In trying to “reduce their environmental impact” on the island, the Buddhists will vastly increase it.

Bernard Zonfrillo,

28 Brodie Road, Glasgow.