MSP says Scottish Government must respect local decision over controversial Moray wind farm
Scottish Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has pledged to put pressure on the Scottish Government not to overturn a decision by Moray councillors to recommend refusal of a controversial wind farm application.
The Clash Gour application to build 48 wind turbines at a location 12 km south of Forres was debated by members of Moray Council’s Planning and Regulatory Committee earlier today (Tuesday 26th March).
Jamie said: “While there is a place for onshore wind in the energy mix, there is strong local feeling that Moray is near saturation point when it comes to windfarms.
“There is widespread public concern in Moray about this application. It is right that local elected members have taken that concern, and the judgement of the Council’s planning officers who recommended rejection, into account when making their decision.
“Unfortunately it is still very possible that the SNP Scottish Government will ignore local democracy and seek to overturn this decision as they have in the past with other windfarm proposals in Moray and across the Highlands and Islands.
“We must keep the pressure up and stop the SNP Government in Edinburgh - who know nothing of the beauty of our upland landscape – riding roughshod over local decision-making here in Moray and pushing through these schemes, allowing untold damage to be done to both our landscape and the lives and livelihoods of local people and businesses.”
Councillor Claire Feaver (Forres ward) added: “The report of the Council’s planning team made it clear that the proposed turbines would have significant adverse effects and dominate the sensitive settled landscapes lying on the upland fringes in the upper Lossie and Divie valleys and the Upper Knockando area.
“It also states that if the turbines were built they would excessively diminish the recreational and visitor experience as the countryside would be overly populated with windfarm developments.
“I am very grateful for Jamie’s support and I sincerely hope that between us, Moray’s elected representatives can win this battle to save our precious landscapes from too much industrial development.”
