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Sma' Glen Windfarm project:
Petition to Scottish Executive
Editorial
16 Feb 04
www.land-care.org.uk
The Sma' Glen in Perthshire is one of the most
beautiful parts of Scotland. It provides magnificent scenery which
is at the heart of what is truly Scotland's natural heritage and
has been so for centuries.
Yet it is now seriously threatened by an ill-conceived
plan for windfarm construction based on the Scottish Executive's
drive to achieve a high target percentage for future power to come
from "renewable sources". As so often with Scottish Executive
policies, the ideology takes precedence over pragmatic logic.
When all the factors - such as construction, maintenance,
distribution and lack of efficiency - are taken into account, it
is highly questionable if a windfarm in such a situation would in
fact contribute positively to efforts to reduce global warming.
Yet the damage that is threatened to this beautiful
glen is easy to foresee. There are many who love this glen - those
who live in cities and come to enjoy it and those who live and work
in the area. They should not allow their concerns to be appeased
by bland reassurances from either the Scottish Executive (who are
following a political agenda) and the construction companies (who
are following an agenda of commercial self-interest).
Trying to find sources of renewable energy is
to be encouraged, but there must be logic in the application of
such efforts. Ironically the Scottish Executive claims to be strong
on environmental issues, but in this instance one section of the
Scottish Executive seems to have lost contact with another section
of that same organisation which must surely be stressing that to
damage such a gem of Scotland's natural heritage would not be the
sensible thing to do.
The Scottish Executive spends vast sums of taxpayers'
money on its agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, involving large
numbers of staff to supposedly look after "conservation and
biodiversity". Yet neither the Scottish Executive nor its SNH
agency seem to appreciate the bigger picture - the importance of
Scotland' s cherished landscape.
Please take part in the following appeal which is organised by
the Sma' Glen Protection Group
SMA’ GLEN WINDFARM
This proposed industrial
development will completely destroy the rural landscape of the approach
to the Sma’ Glen -
we all support renewable
energy – but we do not have to blight our countryside to achieve
it.
Please help
the Sma’ Glen Protection Group and save your heritage
by objecting to this proposal
Objections to the Sma’
Glen Windfarm development must be lodged with the Scottish Executive
by February 27th 2004 at the following address:
The Scottish Executive
Consents and Emergency Planning Unit,
2nd Floor,
Meridian Court,
5 Cadogan Street,
Glasgow G2 6AT
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