Readers’ letters: Public need more influence on wind farm planning

Of course, planning guidance makes it clear that the number of representations for or against a development should not be a determining factor, given the overriding importance of planning considerations.

However, if this is to be the new approach, then we would suggest that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. In short, if voluble support for a wind farm (or other renewable energy project) is to justify approval, then voluble opposition should equally justify refusal. And goodness knows, there have been far too many cases of the wishes of local residents and community councils being trampled in the dirt by renewable energy companies and the Scottish Government.

Some of the people around the proposed wind farm may have had their heads turned by offers of payment. So be it. But those people elsewhere who are more concerned about the massive environmental damage associated with these projects should also be heeded and their views should be given a similar voice. Especially since all the evidence confirms that renewable energy and the costs and subsidies associated with it add significantly to bills and causing fuel poverty, rather than – as claimed by its proponents – the opposite.

The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy (Gillian Martin) might like to ponder on the reality of considerable public opposition when she finally faces irate MSPs and their even more irate constituents when the Scotland Against Spin Petition (Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore wind farms) is next heard in the Scottish Parliament.

Aileen Jackson, Scotland Against Spin, East Renfrewshire

Wrong destination

John Swinney travelled 3,000 miles to discuss the 10 per cent tariff on Scotch whisky with Donald Trump. Why did the SNP cabinet not insist he switched direction and travel to Spain to ascertain from the CEO of Iberdola how the unit cost of electricity in Spain is only half that charged to Scottish consumers!

Surely a 12p/unit cut to electricity bills would be of greater assistance to the whisky industry than any reduction in US tariffs on the product?

Ian Moir, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway

Suffer the children

It’s Sunday morning. I’ve been up since 7 with two of my pre-school grandchildren on a sleepover, the future of my country and inheritors of the mess the UK is in.

A random pick of the ludicrous headlines include a lunatic American billionaire telling the people who injured 26 British policemen in a riot to “fight on”, Rachel Reeves mulling over cutting VAT on fuel bills to lower the cost of living on the assumption, I assume, that the voters are so thick that they won’t notice the tax rises to pay for it, Andy Burnham’s plan to unseat Stramer, promoting his working-class roots as his major asset, and a cluster of backstabbing Starmer/McSweeney/Mandelson briefings that make The Thick of it seem like perfect government.

Yes, we need a new prime minister and government. Maybe someone with posh roots like the best ever Labour PM, Attlee, not scared to sack Milliband and ditch net zero, truly reform the benefits system, untie the immigration Gordian Knot and get our finances back in order.

Otherwise I truly fear for the prosperity and safety of these wee girls and boys if the Swinneys, Starmers, Sturgeons and Rayners prevail.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Buy European

Danish air defences are to be rebuilt from scratch after Denmark struck the largest weapons deal in its history to counter the threat from Russia. Denmark will buy eight batteries with a “layered” mix of missile systems: the long-range SAMP/T from France and Italy, the medium-range Iris-T from Germany and Nasams from Norway, and the shorter-range VL-Mica from France. The first launchers may be in place by the end of the year. This gives a major boost to European armaments manufacturers.

Shortly after take-off on 28 January (2025) a US Air Force $200m, F-35 Lightning II fighter jet crashed and exploded at US Eielson Air Force Base, Fairbanks, south-east Alaska. A second F-35 suffered similar hydraulic freezing problems just nine days later. On 8 August a British F-35B Lightning fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Japan, only weeks after another F-35 was left stranded in India due to a technical fault.

In contrast to Denmark’s “Buy European” defence policy, our Prime Minister has recently agreed to buy 12 more US-manufactured F-35 aircraft.

Doug Clark, Currie, Edinburgh

Red card

I see the biased BBC is at it again, with its flagging flagship football farrago Sportscene deciding to indulge in a little reality-bending in their coverage of Hearts’ defeat of Rangers away for the first time since 2014.

Despite the BBC’s own website match statistics stating Hearts had as many shots on target as Rangers, viewers saw Hearts have a grand total of two shots on goal, whereas almost every Rangers shot – on target or not – was shown to spin the narrative that Hearts only won against the run of play via a contentious goal and penalty, when live radio commentary said Hearts had been all ove Rangerd for much of the match. Still it was worth it to see the presenters in near tears at the end – hopefully plenty more to come for them this season!

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

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