Scottish Government overruled local decisions ten times on Moray windfarms
New information provided to Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston shows that local planning decisions on wind turbines in Moray were overruled ten times by the Scottish Government in Edinburgh.
The Conservative MSP was provided with the figures, which cover the last ten years, in response to a parliamentary question. The numbers show that two major wind farm projects in Moray have been given the go ahead by ministers despite local objections, while a further eight smaller projects have been either approved by the Scottish Government or called in by them despite local rejection.
Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
“It is galling that the SNP speak about local democracy yet local planning officials here in Moray have been regularly overruled by central government on these decisions.
“Projects that have been refused locally have simply gone to Scottish Government Ministers who have then ignored local objections and signed off these projects.
“There are communities which are better able to support onshore wind developments, where siting of such developments is suitable and where, in some case, development is welcomed by local people. It is important we have a good energy mix and onshore wind has a part to play in that.
“It should not, however, be on the basis of national government riding roughshod over local planning decisions and ignoring local objections.”
