Our resolve is stronger than ever

agm-dec-2016Thank you to all those who came along last night to our AGM, and to those who couldn’t manage but expressed their support with donations. We had a splendid turnout to enjoy the mince pies, prosecco and cup cakes. Our Chair, Lala, along with other members of the team gave an update on the campaign and a summary of the finances.

The team will all stay in their current roles except for Tom who wishes to step down as Treasurer when a replacement can be found. Lala highlighted our successes: over 60% of turbines have been withdrawn; Keirs Hill refused; Glenmount withdrawn and the Hadyards Hill Extension reduced in numbers. If anyone would like to join the team we’d love to hear from you. Alternatively, if you don’t want to fully commit, you may wish to be co-opted to research a particular topic which interests you. If you enjoy a party we’d love it if you could assist us in organising some fun events.

Our focus is now on Knockskae and Linfairn. Brookfield, the developer of Knockskae, have postponed the date they want to appear before the Planning Committee until next year, possibly March. The public inquiry into Linfairn is also scheduled for next spring. We’ll ensure they do not overlap and be ready for both.

loch-trool-reddit-smlOur mandate to protect the landscape around Straiton and surrounding communities was supported by all those present. The creation of a Galloway National Park would greatly help to prevent inappropriate developments and it was agreed we would campaign for this.

Thanks to your generosity over £320 was raised on the evening!

 

Have you been acknowledged?

 

If you’ve objected to Knockskae wind farm you ought to have received an acknowledgement from South Ayrshire Council. If you haven’t it could be that they have not received your objection, we’ve heard of some folks who’ve had to email three times before receiving an acknowledgment. Please persevere!

The Council continues to accept representations right up to the point they make their own report. We don’t know when that will be but it hasn’t happened yet.

If you have friends, family, neighbours and colleagues who you know would like to object to the ruination of our precious countryside please tell them to do so. We all need to do our bit to protect this beautiful corner of Scotland.

 

Click here and object to Knockskae Wind Farm now.

Enough is Enough

Ayrshire hasn’t escaped the realities of climate change this winter, Storm Frank brought devastation to our communities and flooding to homes, farms and fields. We all have to do our bit to save the planet.

But did you know that Ayrshire is already doing ten times more than the rest of the country?

Across the UK as a whole there is one wind turbine for every ten thousand people. Here in Ayrshire it’s more like one per thousand. If Knockskae Wind Farm was allowed to go ahead, together with the four other proposals that threaten our community, the picturesque parish of Straiton could end up with one giant industrial turbine for every three residents.

Ayrshire is already doing more, much more, than it’s ‘fair share’ and the Scottish Government is already over-achieving on its renewables targets.

We say: “enough is enough”.

We need to protect what’s left of the beautiful scenery in our corner of Scotland. We need to protect the Merrick Wild Land Area from being irretrievably undermined, the Unesco Biosphere from being plundered and the Dark Sky Park from any more light pollution

We need to protect the jobs and small businesses that rural tourism supports.

We need to protect our homes – disturbing the peat and deforesting the hillsides to plant wind farms will only serve to reduce the ability of our hills and river valleys to cope with next winter’s storms. The thousands of heavy constructions vehicles thundering through conservation villages will cause severe vibration in centuries-old cottages, never built to withstand such an onslaught.

Please tell Ayrshire Council that ‘enough is enough’. The people of Ayrshire have already done more than the rest of the country, we simply can’t afford to give away any more of our countryside.

Click here and object to Knockskae Wind Farm now.

Please object now to Knockskae and save our landscape

The spectacular view from Guiltreehill

The spectacular view from Guiltreehill

After carefully looking over the Application to build Knockskae wind farm with 11 turbines, each 126.5m high, with miles of access tracks and associated infrastructure, we firmly believe this would be totally inappropriate in this landscape.

More importantly it would have a severe impact on several homes nearby causing shadow flicker and noise pollution. We think this is unacceptable.

The traffic route proposed passes down Kirkland Street in Maybole with its two primary school and known traffic issues. From here is passes through the conservation village of Crosshill, past the cemetery, over the crossroads and right next to Auchalton SSSI via a new track enclosing this important site. This road is also part of National Cycle Route 7.

All the documentation is available on South Ayrshire Council’s website, click here to view. Alternatively we have uploaded some of the most important documents which can be accessed by clicking on our Knockskae Planning Submission page.

If you feel the same as we do and wish to protect our neighbours homes and our beautiful landscape please object now. You can do this simply and easily by going to our online objection form here and filling out your details which will go directly to South Ayrshire Council.

To read some suggested objection points or download a post card, click here.

It only takes a few minutes, please take the time to help us by 31 December 2015. Thank you.