RESIDENTS and businesses in the Upper Deveron Valley have called on Aberdeenshire and Moray councils to develop a joined-up plan for wind farms in their communities.
In an open letter signed by Patti Nelson, chair of the Cabrach Community Association, campaigners called for an “inter-authority regional landscape capacity assessment”.
The letter called for the councils to “look again” at the issue of wind farms “and the effect that these developments are having on rural communities across the Upper Deveron Valley”.
“In particular, we request that a joint capacity study be undertaken across the region because previous studies – the 2014 study for Aberdeenshire Council and the 2017 study for Moray Council – are out of date.
“Planning decisions taken in isolation only see part of the picture and we believe that, as authorities, you have a responsibility to look at the issue more broadly before irreversible decisions are made and damage done to an important rural community straddling Aberdeenshire and Moray.”
The letter added: “We realise that authorities are under considerable pressure to show how they will meet net zero targets and it is important to them in many ways to be promoting renewable energy schemes.
“However, when the burden of these schemes falls disproportionately upon small rural communities, the overriding sense is that local resident’s voices are not heard.
“It appears that decisions, which fundamentally impact upon their localities and personal well-being, are taken by people elsewhere.”
Other signatories to the letter included: Marion Ross, chair of Speyside Community Council; Henry Hillgarth from Belcherrie Farms Partnership; and Colin and Penny Mackenzie, owners of Castle on The Hill.
Read more stories on Scottish Field’s news pages.
Plus, don’t miss the February issue of Scottish Field magazine.
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