Issues for Scotland's Energy Supply

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1 Issues for Scotland's Energy Supply I am writing to say how pleased and relieved I am to read of your Inquiry into Scotland's energy needs and supplies. In 2001 the Scottish Borders Council advocated the construction of a wind factory at Crystal Rig on the Lammermuirs. Some of us who live here asked that the erection of Wind Turbines should be a matter for the National executive as the Local Councils could not have the necessary knowledge to make these decisions which effected the whole country not just the Borders. I wrote to our Members of Parliament asking that wind factories should become a national issue. The National Executive appears to have done nothing about the overall energy issues and has allowed a free for all by the wind Turbine Companies. I understand that roughly 1,000 wind turbines are proposed for The Borders and 6,000 for the rest of Scotland. Who knows if these figures are correct as the applications when they are actually printed in the papers do not usually state the numbers or the height. When Crystal Rig was being advocated it was for 20 turbines of a 100 Metres and no one mentioned that Crystal Rig 2 was in the planning stage. We later learnt that the first stage is to be increased by 5 and the second stage is for 56 turbines and they will be as tall as 125 metres. This is a devious way to conduct business. Our Community Council balloted all the people living in our boundaries, Cranshaws, Longformacus and Ellemford. The result was that the majority of people who responded were against any more turbines. Our Councillor said the result did not count as not everyone had voted. Now 62 turbines of 125 metres are proposed for Fallago Ridge by Longformacus. As far as I know there are 22 sites listed for development in and around the Lammermuirs. With this small report on just one area you can see how helpless and frustrated that ordinary people feel. The people who advocate wind turbines talk as if wind power is an alternative to nuclear, coal, gas or oil they will not discuss the issues of how the balance of 75% will be generated. The inquiry in the Lake District appear to accept the statement the turbines would provide electricity for 47,000 houses. Do they not know that the turbines only produce for 25% of the time and 28% if the annual conditions are ideal? I wish you and the rest of the members of the inquiry the best of luck and the greatest cooperation from the community. Yours faithfully, S.LTremtett OBJECTION TO THE BUILDING OF A WIND FACTORY (FARM) AT FALLAGO RIDGE THE ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT PREPARED BY ENTEC FOR NORTH BRITISH WINDPOWER LTD. Yesterday I managed finally to get a brief view of the Environmental statement mentioned above. I cannot afford to buy this document and I would have to sit in the library for days to read the hundreds of printed pages involved so I just looked at the Hydrological Chapter because the flooding issue was in my mind due to of the recent devastation in North Yorkshire. I was horrified to read the area being dismissed as poor agricultural only suitable for sheep and unfit for habitation. Since when has that been the ONLY value that land has? The opening description of the land being mostly peat bog with underlying gravel beds shows it to be a wonderful sponge that absorbs whatever rain falls and slowly releases it into the springs that make their way to the streams, rivers and the reservoirs over the area. There is already some erosion of stream banks around the site of Crystal Rig 1 and that is only 20 turbines. I realise that this issue is to be decided by the Scottish Executive but surely your department cannot wash your hands of any responsibility. Will your dept. or the Scottish Executive guarantee that a full and professional survey of the impact of rain falling

2 on the altered landscape. The effect of the four square miles being filled with 56 huge concrete blocks must be appraised and how would the leaching from these blocks pollute the water. There is also the effect of the road that has to be made to bring the Turbines onto the site and the gravel pits that will be dug to make it. None of this is addressed in the Environmental Statement. We all know that you can build on bogs; the Council has just approved the building a new High School on one such bog by telling us it is Just a question of cost. I thought that the country was aware of the cost of ignoring the value of the bogs and swamps to absorb water and also of trees to slow down the progress of water. A forest was cut to facilitate Crystal Rig are you now going to ignore the value of the peat bogs, gravel, streams and vegetation at Fallago Ridge? There are plans for 18 Wind Factories in or around The Lammermuirs it seems just common sense that they are looked at as a whole and not individually. They may be all different Corporations applying but the area is one. You have the ability to ask for a Public Inquiry to resolve these issues once and for all, please have the courage to do it. Yours faithfully, S.LTremlett CC Royal Society of Edinburgh, Energy Inquiry Dear Sir, Fallaoo Ridae Wind Turbine Proposal I object to the proposal by North British Windpower to construct and operate a wind farm at Fallago Ridge for the following reasons: 1. Excessive intrusion on the landscape The Lammermuir Hills are designated as an Area of Great Landscape Value. This proposal would exceed the capacity of the landscape to absorb the development without a significant and serious adverse impact on the character of the landscape. 2. Economic Development The local area suffers from a population decline giving problems in sustaining services and social cohesion. Economic development is vital to the future of the area and tourism and recreation offers the best prospect for this development. Any economic benefits from the wind farm will be marginal and short term. The wind farm will, however, be seriously detrimental to the development of the local tourist industry, 3. Nature and the Environment The proposed area includes areas of blanket bog and upland heath, which are priority habitats under the EU Habitats Directive. Local populations of merlin, hen harrier, short-eared owl, peregrine, rough-legged buzzard, goshawk, pink-footed geese and black game, will be seriously disturbed throughout the construction period, and their long term survival threatened. The cumulative effect of 62 turbines will also produce a high risk of bird strike. 4. Cumulative Effect Twenty Wind turbines are already operational at Crystal Rig, which is within sight of Fallago Ridge. Extension to eighty one is proposed at this site and wind farms are approved or proposed in a further four local sites. No local planning policy, nor national framework, exists to assess the overall impact and development is proceeding on an ad hoc basis. No further

3 development should take place without a public enquiry to investigate all of the issues and impacts, and to allow proper local consultation and provide the framework for a meaningful planning policy. 5. Site Traffic During the construction phase, in particular, the site traffic will cause a serious nuisance to residents of the local communities. Heavy vehicular traffic will create a health and safety hazard on the narrow winding roads proposed to serve the construction works. 6. Local Opinion The Community Council conducted a survey of all households in the area, The results from this survey showed an overwhelming opposition to the further proliferation of wind turbines in the area. Please note my objections to this proposal Signed Address:

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