Councillor calls for halt on wind farms
Published 16 Dec 2011 08:40
13 Comments
WEST Fife communities could soon be surrounded by wind farms blighting the landscape says a senior councillor.
Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley is calling for a community-led discussion and examination of appropriate locations for wind turbines.
He is proposing that no more applications for wind turbines be approved until such time as a strategic framework for windfarm applications is in place.
Mr Rowley is concerned that his home village Kelty could be "surrounded" by windfarm developments and the countryside "blighted" by the turbines.
He also highlighted plans for a large windfarm next to the M90 which is being opposed by Kingseat Community Council.
Mr Rowley said, "I am worried that we seem to be operating on a first-come, first-approved basis with little thought to what is acceptable for local communities.
"In my own home village we are surrounded by proposals and applications to erect these large structures and I think we have to stop and think about whether or not we want to be surrounded by such large industrial structures or if there is a better way.
"I am not against such industrial structures for the sake of it - and I accept that we will have such structures to achieve a mixed approach to sourcing energy - but we seem to be verging on the ad hoc approach with little regard for people and communities.
"This is why we need the debate and one that is informed with information such as how many of these turbines are we likely to accept within Fife and then where is it best for them to be located to achieve minimal disruption to people, places, and communities.
"I am old enough to remember the legacy of the mines on our local landscape and we are proud of the work of the councillors of that time in getting the areas reinstated into beautiful countryside.
"I do not want a 21st century version of pit bings blighting the landscape.
"We, the people of Fife, must be in charge of what is acceptable and where is acceptable for these industrial structures to be sited.
"This must not be dictated by where the profiteers want to put them."
Councillor Rowley has written to Fife Council's head of development services and the head of planning asking for a meeting to discuss these issues and his proposal for a moratorium on all current and future applications until such time as a strategic framework for wind farms has been put in place.
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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norfolkboy14
7 posts
Dec 16, 08:57
Report commentWe need to get the Government onside, as well as local councils and others, if we are going to stop these monstrosities being built.
Are you disillusioned by rising electricity prices, over dependence on the "green" dream [especially uneconomical and inefficient wind farms] and the destruction of our countryside then please register your objection on
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22958
Please get your friends to sign up too.
Recommend?
Yes 12
No 9
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SmarmyGit
47 posts
Dec 16, 17:00
Report commentHowever inefficient these things are i'd rather have the bleak and windswept land covered in wind turbines than have Nuclear power station on my doorstep, anyway, if the technology now means you need 100 turbines to generate XX amount of power whats to say in 10 or 15 years you only need 50, 20 or 10 to generate the same amount of power? At least wind turbines can be taken down in weeks rather than 50 to 60 years to decommission a nuclear plant, THEN the land it sat on is contaminated for thousands of years, get a grip man eh............
Oh, and spot the irony here, was that a web address you posted to register objections mmmm? Now what is it that is needed to get online, aye a PC, laptop or smart phone and what do these things run on? They don't scoop the power out of thin air eh.........
Some folk life a dream world........
Recommend? Yes 10
No 13
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WeeFifer
2 posts
Dec 17, 11:46
Report commentWhether it is air, coal, hydro it is all FREE until you try to extract it. Wind is NOT FREE. It is the most expensive 'green' option. There are some things that no money can buy. How do you qualify wild land it biodiversity, quality of life, communites, decimated industries and jobs through profligate greedy energy companies and a political hammering of additional taxes to prop up their next trade off, next international screw up.
Wind energy will only ever be a secondary source of piddling amount. It is the essence of a dream and the reality of a very expensive folly. Intermittent, unpredictable and unable to come anywhere near the stability and output that a national energy programme needs. It will not add to our needs but provide much money to business wolves in green clothing.
Until your community squares up to these snake oil salesmen (we won on 4 applications, but they resurface after a few years) see the the real costs, the impacts on treasured places, witness the easing of planning and the sloshing of money offered for things in the community it would have raised by itself. Who thinks Christmas lights and helping the Brownies are the wind industries' remit? WE have paid dearly many times over for their largesse, in the poorest and most vulnerable now being unable to maintain a warm home.
Shame on our governments, BBC, Greenpeace for committing us to such a rapacious industry and selling us so many untruths.
Recommend? Yes 12
No 7
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bicyclebob
135 posts
Dec 17, 14:03
Report commentfunny how he mentioned his own village
Recommend? Yes 7
No 3
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SmarmyGit
47 posts
Dec 17, 16:31
Report commentWee Fifer says ''Wind energy will only ever be a secondary source of piddling amount. It is the essence of a dream and the reality of a very expensive folly. Intermittent, unpredictable and unable to come anywhere near the stability and output that a national energy programme needs''
At the moment yes, but if we stand still and not advance we'll all be sitting around candles mate, technology keeps us going and made us venture out of the cave.
If the 'alternative' energy's were snuffed out by NIMBYS then in 20, 30 or 40 years time when the fossil fuel rich countries have us over a barrel (even more than we are now) with the price of oil, gas and Coal what will we do then? If you think your leccy and gas bills are high now just wait till Russia and China quadruple the price of their commodities that they have in great quantities and sell to the highest bidder.
Everything has its place dude, wind, wave, hydro, fossil fuel and yes even nuclear, if NOTHING is done we'll be cooking over open fires and sitting round candles and only the rich will be able to afford heat and power.
Just a wee thought..............
Recommend? Yes 9
No 7
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ItsErnie
44 posts
Dec 17, 22:24
Report commentWhat's the most prominent landmark in Dunfermline? The Abbey? Historic quarter? City chambers? College? Town centre? No - none of these - it's the giant turbine at FMC which can easily be seen from almost every corner of the town. Driven along the Ochil hillfoots lately? What will the views be like once a few more permissions have been granted? The only sensible place for these eyesores is out at sea.
People have been narking about the dwindling oil resources since I was a lad and there still seems to be plenty. And we've enough coal to last hundreds of years. Plenty of time to develop REAL green measures, not invest in this needless and useless destruction of our environment.
Recommend? Yes 9
No 8
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DrewCarnegie
38 posts
Dec 18, 16:04
Report commentIf you do not want the windmill's any place near your house, where do you want the nuclear power plant as an alternative
Recommend? Yes 10
No 1
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ItsErnie
44 posts
Dec 18, 20:29
Report commentNone of these DrewCarnegie - how about the wind farms offshore and out of sight? Or how about just another Longannet - doesn't bother its neighbours much afaik.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 7
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Chorthie
26 posts
Dec 19, 10:38
Report commentWhats wrong with the windturbine at FMC? I don't see why people hate them. Saying they are hardly ever on is nonsence. They need so little wind to get moving anyway. How often is there no breeze. Us and Ireland get wind all the time.
Basically everyone is a NIMBY and only likes things if they are out of their own sight. Excuses like they make noise... nah. They are never even working... nah. We need to wake up and realise coal, oil and gas are no use. No one wants them built. We dont want the highly efficent Nuclear. Tidal power generation isnt quite there technology wise and hydro means flooding more parts of Scotland. Wind works and untill we come up with some thing else I dont mind it.
...or we could get everyone on benifits to sit on excersise bikes in a big wearhouse and they only get benifits if they create a certain amount of power to the grid, think of the health benifits!
Recommend? Yes 9
No 2
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Blackadder
166 posts
Dec 19, 19:29
Report commentTop idea Clorthie. Worked on "I'm a celebrity" bike powered showers!
Recommend? Yes 5
No 0
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cameronsdemise
25 posts
Dec 19, 22:24
Report commentRather have - wind / hydro / wave , any kind of power other than reactors with 1,000 year half life , check Dalgety Bay for radium pollution , check Dounrey in thurso for same also check perth for radium pollution . Bet St andrews will be next ! Liebour and Tory + Lib / dems UK govs. will tell you anything as long as they can use Scotland as their dumping ground for all things radioactive . Watch Rosyth being usedf as dump for 7 dead nuke S/Ms plus another 10 at devonport ( will probably be shipped up here ) WAKE UP FOLKS , Get rid of the unionist parties in Scotland . Only one way forward , VOTE SNP , ( Don't believe me ? ) Check out FIFE for years of liebour / lib/dem rule . WE Wullie Rennies A PHANNY . Gordon Brown Vanished After 13 yrs of Nothing . Rifkind and Forsyth Dissappeared after passing all work for rosyth to devonport , Now MOD Don't think it would be inappropriate to attend meetings on D/Bay & Rosyth due to public & Media interest. ????????????????? NEED I SAY MORE ?????
SNP FORWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD
Recommend? Yes 6
No 3
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Jimmynewswatcher
5 posts
Dec 22, 12:36
Report commentIt will never sees to amaze me how the SNP or nasty nats as I now see them get every discussion round to some nasty attack on someone or something they don’t like. Never mind having wind mills at the end of every street, if this lot have their way we will have no say in anything and do what we are told. This is sadly reminiscent of 1930 Europe and the rise of the right, shut down debate, shut down discussion and attack anyone or anything that may have a difference of opinion
Recommend? Yes 5
No 2
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logster
28 posts
Jan 1, 16:27
Report commentInteresting point Jimmyhewswatcher,are you aware that when the SNP party was first formed,it was formed as a fascist party with rise of the fascist movement across Europe.The meaning of fascism is people who support a dictator.This idea of of independence actually fuels fascism,the road the SNP want to take Scotland down will be disastrous one.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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