Save Straiton for Scotland invite you to a meeting on Sunday 6th July at 2.30pm in the McCandlish Hall, Straiton relating to the recently submitted planning application for Back Fell Windfarm.
The development would be located just over a mile southwest of Straiton and 2 miles southeast of Crosshill in an outstandingly beautiful area of South Ayrshire. It proposes up to 10 wind turbines with a tip height of approximately 200m and a total potential generating capacity of 62MW. The scheme also proposes approximately 30MW of battery energy storage.
Taken with other local proposed and existing wind power schemes, there could be 91 turbines up to 200m tall surrounding Straiton. Enough is enough!
| Scheme | Status | No. Turbines |
| Back Fell | Proposed (Application) | 10 |
| Herd Hill | Proposed (Scoping) | 12 |
| Craiginmoddie | Proposed (Awaiting Decision) | 14 |
| Carrick | Proposed (Awaiting Decision) | 13 |
| Knockcronal | Proposed (Awaiting Decision) | 9 |
| Sclenteuch | Proposed (Awaiting Decision) | 9 |
| Knockkippen | Consented | 12 |
| Dersalloch | Operational | 12 |
| Total | 91 |
All of these schemes will have significant impacts on the Girvan Valley, Straiton, surrounding communities and the wider landscape of South West Scotland which is already dominated by wind farms both operational and in the planning process.
The main issues of concern for the Back Fell scheme are:
- The South Ayrshire Wind Capacity Study in 2018 recommended that turbines over 130m could not be accommodated in this landscape. Some homes would have 7 to 10 additional turbines in direct view up to 200m tall from this scheme alone, let alone other proposed and existing schemes.
- Noise, shadow flicker, and lighting impacts have not fully explored or mitigated.
- No human health or wellbeing impact assessments have been done.
- Carbon-rich peatland will be disturbed, without proper pre-consent testing.
- Protected species and habitats could be destroyed – yet some surveys (e.g. for amphibians like newts) have not been conducted.
- Much of the risk analysis is deferred until “after consent”, meaning no guarantees for residents before it’s too late.
- Further information is required to ensure we have assurances that there will be zero risk to private water supply both during construction and beyond.
- The scheme contravenes and / or is inconsistent with many of the policies of National Planning Framework 4.
To find out more about the Back Fell scheme, visit www.savestraitonforscotland.com
Save Straiton for Scotland 
A preposterous plan and quite without the necessary research in to a myriad of highly important matters.
The adverse effect these hideous,nature disrupting turbines will have – far outweighs any argument for them? I visit the area for the vast unbroken vistas of unspoiled natural landscape and peace- which is why people drawn to the area. There are many unexplored and unanswered questions – What happens to them when they no longer generate power -bearing in mind that they can last less than 20 years? Huge, non – recyclable blades in landfill sites. The construction operation and maintenance (every 6 months) of them uses more energy than they many of them generate. Some generate more than is required.
The National Grid paid £215m to get them shut off last year – a cost that eventually ends up on people’s bills-cheaper energy???
Destruction of migratory birds , cement leakage in to peatlands- the list of catastrophic negatives outweighs all the positives. This Wind farm should not go ahead