The Scottish Government’s Energy Consent Unit has published its response to the Back Fell Scoping Report by E Power Ltd. The Scoping Response document can be downloaded here.

To recap, the proposed development would be located approximately 900m south of Straiton and is situated on uplands with a large area of commercial forestry and is anticipated to comprise up to 14 wind turbines with a tip height of approximately 200m. In addition to wind turbines there will be ancillary infrastructure including: crane hard standings and laydown area adjacent to each wind turbine; turbine foundations; power cables, linking the wind turbines, laid in trenches underground, including cable markers; a control building including substation, parking, and a small storage compound; battery storage compound, located adjacent to the substation compound; permanent and temporary power performance assessment (PPA) anemometry mast; new and upgraded access tracks, passing places and turning heads; drainage works; borrow pits; temporary construction compound and aviation warning lights.

The purpose of the ECU’s consultation was to obtain scoping advice from a range of consultees on environmental matters within their remit. Despite our request to the ECU, Save Straiton for Scotland was not included in the list of consultees. We are working to ascertain why we had not been included.

The Energy Consent Unit sets out in the report that ‘Scottish Ministers are satisfied with the scope of the EIA set out in the scoping report’ but acknowledges that additional information will be required as part of any formal planning application. In short, the report only deals with procedural matters, setting out what will be required for a planning application. It does not express an opinion as to whether the proposal would be supported or refused. A summary of key consultation responses is set out below;

• South Ayrshire Council agree with the general methodology but will require additional information / assessments including landscape and visual impact, noise, access and water supplies.
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency agree with the general methodology but will require additional information / assessments on watercourses, peat, mitigation and repowering / decommissioning.
• Nature Scot agree with the general methodology but will require additional information / assessments on impacts on Special Protected Areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, landscape and visual amenity, protected species, habitat management and peatland.
• Historic Environment Scotland agree with the general methodology but will require additional information / assessments and have particular concerns regarding impacts on Knockinculloch, land NW of Glenalla and Blairquhan.
• Transport Scotland agree with the general methodology but will require additional information / assessments on access routing.
• Scottish Forestry set out impacts will be significant and will require full details on felling and compensatory planting.
• Defence Infrastructure Organisation (MOD) has concerns over aviation safety.
• Glasgow Airport will require full details of the application to make an assessment.
• Prestwick Airport raises aviation safety concerns which have the potential to have an operational impact on the Airport as an Air Navigation Services Provider and would be minded to issue a holding objection to the development until all technical and operational aviation safety matters detailed above are addressed to the satisfaction of the Airport.
• RSPB will require additional information to make an assessment.
• Scotways will require additional information to make an assessment.
• Crosshill, Straiton and Kirkmichael Community Council unanimously voted against the proposal setting out that ‘The community of Straiton is strongly against wind farm development as shown in our recent CC survey. (72% of respondents against the three conjoined wind farms involved in the Public Enquiry, 67% against the Sclenteuch wind farm and 60% against any more wind farms in South Ayrshire). In 2017 the Community Council was unanimously against Knockskae’.
• Dailly Community Council oppose the scheme setting out a number of serious concerns.

It is now highly like that a full planning application will be prepared and submitted for the scheme. Save Straiton for Scotland will be preparing a full and robust objection to any planning application.

On a more positive note, since the AGM and the Letter of Concern many of you signed, we have correspondence from local elected members including our Westminster and Holyrood representative, supporting our case. We will keep all elected members updated and seek their assistance as we move forward.

We continue to monitor the situation and will be in touch with details of how you can help.

The Save Straiton for Scotland Team.