View from the Glenmount site looking south towards Derclach and Finlas Lochs
Just as we were dusting ourselves down, recovering from the horror that was Linfairn Windfarm, Keirs Hill sneaked in with a festive treat for us to digest over Christmas. The timing didn’t deter our supporters who managed rustle up another 3000 objections (without having to bribe locals with electricity discounts, or pay people to canvas strangers in the streets of Ayr)! Now, as expected, Glenmount (RWE Npower) have come in with their Section 36 application, clearly desperate to cash in on the feeding frenzy before policy changes make the process less lucrative for them.
Time is extremely tight for this application, and we only have until 24th February 2014 **STOP PRESS: the DEADLINE IS EXTENDED to 10th March** to submit representations to the ECDU. SSfS have therefore prepared a how to object page to try to simplify the process for those who wish to make a considered objection.
The planning documents are not available online yet, although they are in the McCandlish Hall in Straiton and should soon be available on the East Ayrshire Council planning website. STOP PRESS: click here to see the key documents and key images. The non technical summary is available on the RWE website. The summary however shows that very little has actually changed from the original scoping documents (the turbines have reduced from 22 to 19). Some highlights which RWE point out are below and might just give you an indication of how they view the area they intend industrialising.
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‘The .. site falls within a..locally designated Sensitive Landscape CharacterArea (SLCA).. [and].. would result in a localised significant impact..’
- ‘The local area could not be described as a popular tourism location’
- ‘There are also aspirations for dark sky tourism to be developed in
the area .. [and] the development of Loch Doon .. although these aspirationsare so far unfulfilled.’
- ‘Construction traffic [will travel] through the communities of Kirkmichael and
Straiton … will last for approximately 24 months, and will peak during months 2 to 5 (93 vehicle movements per day). A total of 152 abnormal load movements will be generated over months 15 to 20 in the delivery of large turbine components to site. [and] will be accompanied by police escorts to warn and control external traffic. Significant driver delay and community effects are forecast during the construction phase if unmitigated.’
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There is plenty more information within these documents, clearly designed to shock locals and tourists alike. Notable of course is yet another developer making a determined effort to ignore the SNH commissioned East and South Ayrshire Wind Capacity Studies (2013) which explicitly state (yet again) that the site area cannot accommodate any large scale turbines.If you are as horrified as us by this proposal please Object Now. SSfS will prepare a more detailed submission however please, as always, send us any additional comments or concerns you may have and we will ensure they get included.
Save Straiton for Scotland 
We have put in our objections using the template form. Best wishes Linda & Nigel
Objections in the post tommorow
We have submitted our objection cards prior to the RWE “open Q&A opportunity” held yesterday (18th February 2014), so I am unable to send another objection. However I would like to mention my thoughts since speaking to the representatives of RWE.
The answer to all the questions about the effects of up to 93 traffics movements a day (their figures posted on the wall) on our narrow roads, old bridges, our homes, safety etc. was that “computers” have said that they can get turbines round tight corners, the bridges won’t collapse, our walls won’t crack. Computers will not be driving these lorries. It only takes a few inches of “Human Error” for our concerns to be proved correct. We have all seen where log lorries have driven off the side of the road, even on their side.
They told us they would have constant communications with residents, regarding wind farm traffic not traveling at school times, rush hour etc. There is no way that RWE will have that control over their contractors. Time is Money. We would see heavy traffic speeding through our villages, drivers on their phones, over the white lines, with no consideration for our safety. We have seen it all before.
I would urge everyone to object now while we still have the chance.
Hi Carol, I expect your feelings are very representative of many people who attended this ‘mis’ information session. Personally I left with more questions than I came in with, and the standard reply appeared to be ‘everything will be sorted out and detailed post planning approval’. Not good enough! I wouldn’t give up on making your feelings known however, submit another email to the ECDU – even if they don’t count the number, it will still be read. RWE were very keen to point out that South Ayrshire Council had already ‘approved’ this route. I don’t believe this is the case – so I’ll be writing to let South Ayrshire Council know my concerns as well as MP’s MSPs etc – try and take the opportunity to do the same and don’t give up.