NEWS UPDATES

You can find here comprehensive details of all of the currently existing and proposed wind farms in Dumfries & Galloway. [Opens in Excel]

Hard on the heels of the refusal of planning permission for turbines of 200m at Garcrogo and Barmark Hill, the developer (EnergieKontor) applied to Dumfries & Galloway Council for permission for an identical wind farm, save that the turbine height would be limited to 180m.  The jurisdiction of the Council has been queried on the basis that the development would exceed 50MW and should therefore have been referred directly to the Scottish Government.  Nonetheless, the Council appear to be entertaining the application under reference 22/1754/FUL and will accept comments made by email before 4 January 2023.

Newspapers

Media Statment from Vattenfall

On 1 September 2022, Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd announced that it would not be pursuing its proposed wind farm at Whiteneuk, at least for the time being.  The only reason given was that that they could not acquire the land they needed for their habitat management plan.  However, they went on to say that they would continue with their proposals for Quantans Hill and South Kyle. [Read the statement]

Garcrogo Hill and Barmark Hill Appeal Decision

On 18 August 2022 planning permission for the wind farm proposed by EnergieKontor UK Ltd for Garcrogo Hill and Barmark Hill was refused, essentially because the turbines proposed were too tall for the landscape.  The dismissal of the appeal by EnergieKontor by Scottish Ministers spelled the end of the road for that particular planning application. [Read more]

‘Nicola Sturgeon and SNP accused of running roughshod over local democracy on windfarms’
Scottish Daily Express, February 5 2022
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/nicola-sturgeon-snp-accused-running-26140378

‘Robert Burns would have been ‘saddened’ by spread of wind farms in Galloway’
Scottish Daily Express, January 24 2022
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/robert-burns-would-been-saddened-26037279

‘SNP under pressure to scrap onshore wind farms after £700m offshore bonanza’
Scottish Daily Express, January 24 2022
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/snp-under-pressure-scrap-onshore-26026098

‘Group fears number of wind turbines could double in region’
Galloway News, January 20 2022
Read the article here

‘SNP Government is rolling out the red carpet for foreign windfarm owners’
Scottish Daily Express, December 4 2021
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/comment/snp-government-rolling-out-red-25609569

‘Glenkens windfarm gets the greenlight’
Galloway News, November 11 2021
Read the article here

‘SNP’s £30 million wind farm windfall’
Mail on Sunday, October 24 2021
Read the article here

‘Don’t Fail the Fell’
Galloway News, October 22 2021
Read the article here

‘£120,000 for wind farm silence’
Sunday Times magazine, October 17 2021
Read the article here

‘Ill wind’
The Times, October 12 2021
Read the article here

‘Fear wind farm plan could become latest example of ‘democratic deficit”
Galloway Gazette, September 2 2021
Read the article here

‘Windfarm appeal row’
Galloway News, September 2021
Read the article here

‘Yes, we need to be green.  But that can never come at the cost of Scotland’s precious countryside.’
Mail on Sunday, July 4 2021
Read the article here

‘Scotland’s heritage at risk from spread of wind farms – experts’
Mail on Sunday, May 30 2021
Read the article here

‘MoD under attack from wind farms, say campaigners’
Sunday Times, May 30 2021
Read the article here

‘Rural Scots told to brace over plans for dozens of wind farms’
Daily Telegraph, May 27, 2021
Read the article here

‘Pressure group urges people to object to plans for new Glenkens wind farm’
Daily Record, May 20, 2021
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/pressure-group-urges-people-object-24140371

‘Talk of wind farms benefiting locals is just a lot of hot air’
The Times  – May 04, 2021
Read the article here

‘SPR’s £250m for windfarms’
Stranraer Free Press – March 18, 2021
Read the article here

‘Scotland “almost saturated” with wind turbines’
Daily Mail – February 1, 2021
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/scottish-daily-mail/20210201/281797106670778

‘Campaign group at odds with industry body over windfarm backing in Perthshire’
The Courier – January 8, 2021
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/perth-kinross/1845061/windfarm-pressure-group-sets-sights-on-heightening-scrutiny-in-perthshire/

‘Group starts fight for change on wind farms’
The Herald – December 28, 2020
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-herald-1130/20201228/281642487785669

‘Our beautiful hills and glens – industrialised by foreign profiteers’
Mail on Sunday – December 27, 2020
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-scottish-mail-on-sunday/20201227/282527251046854

‘Campaign group calls for consultation deadline to be extended on Glenkens windfarm proposals’
Galloway News – December 24, 2020
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/campaign-group-calls-consultation-deadline-23211955

Broadcast

‘Campaign group launches’
ITV Border – December 3, 2020
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3628200857239931