Others Voices in the Wind....

A humorous but deadly serious post from an award winning - and challenging - science blog:


http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/03/10/saturday-silliness-joshs-wind-energy-fact-sheet-global-wind-power-to-the-nearest-whole-number/


...and the beautifully designed and thought-provoking site of a group trying to protect the Shotteswell/Hanwell Valley - we wish them luck in their action to preserve their environment from the kind of ill-considered plans with which we are only too familiar:


http://shamwag.com/about/

Community Benefit - The New Going Rate?

West Coast Energy, the developer at Lingo Wind Farm on the East Neuk Coastal Ridge, have significantly upped the amount of Community Benefit they are prepared to pay to the Strathairn and Strathdean communities, along with the new University of the Highlands and Islands, in order to try and gain community approval for their plans for yet another wind farm at Daviot.

The 'going rate' for Community Benefit used to be £5,000 per megawatt of installed power, but in the Highlands, WCE have agreed to pay twice that - £10,000 per megawatt of installed power. Why? Could it be that WCE know that the end is in sight for the installation of large-scale wind, and that communities are not prepared to be bought off so cheaply? Or are they just feeling very generous...? And, will they be increasing their Community Benefit offer here in North East Fife in order to try and 'sweeten' the deal at Lingo?

The next meeting of the Lingo Community Benefit Forum is on April 25th - we'll bring you news of any developments as they come in.

But The Government Seems to Have Other Plans...
It seems that reaching central government targets in Fife is never going to be enough for Alex Salmond (see post below). News was very recently announced of the Executive's plans for two monster turbines 1.5km off the coast, near to Methil.

TWO unique wind turbines will be installed 1.5km off the Methil coast by renewables group 2-B Energy.The two-bladed offshore demonstrators, with rotor diameters of 140 metres, will be jointly delivered by 2-B and Scottish Enterprise (SE).The project was announced by Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond who described the turbines as “innovative and exciting” and had a “great potential” to reduce costs for clean energy generators due to their reliance on fewer components.Mr Salmond said: “This strategic agreement with our enterprise agency is another important development for Scotland’s burgeoning offshore renewables industry, which is bringing jobs and investment to communities across the country.“2-B Energy’s decision to develop its technology here underlines the increasing international recognition that Scotland offer’s the optimum business and natural environment for clean-tech developers to pursue their ambitions.”Because of the decision to develop the two, 2-B says it will now scrap plans to erect another turbine nearer to the shoreline."

The full article can be read at http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/plans-to-site-test-turbines-off-methil-coastline-1-2226013

These turbines will be very close to the people of Methil, and other coastal communities in the area, and yet there seems to be very little say for them, or any of the rest of us, with regard to these plans. 

Fife Wind Targets Now Fulfilled?

A regular reader of this blog sent this article today, concerning the ambitious renewables targets that we are constantly told by Alex Salmond, Scotland needs to hit.


This article, in the Courier at the beginning of March, concerns the targets in Fife. According to this report, Fife have already hit the mark with regards to wind. Robin Presswood, the Business & Strategy Manager at Fife Council, says that by 2014, all the projects that currently have planning permission will produce enough electricity to power all the homes in Fife. It begs the question, 'Why do we need any more wind turbines here when we have been able to hit the targets through biomass and other means?'

Surely it's time for the politicians to call a halt?

Unscheduled Meetings...

Fife council has scheduled an extra planning meeting for the North East Fife Planning Committee next Wednesday 18th April, 9.30am at Elmwood College in Cupar. There will be two turbine applications considered at this meeting that we have been concerned about at SCALE -

Higham Farm - 2 turbines of 112ft (Planning Ref. 11/05331/FULL)

and

North Cassingray Farm - 1 turbine of 112ft (Planning Ref. 11/06388/FULL)

Further details on these proposals are on Fife Council web site (see details below), and if you want to object to either, you can still do so, as Fife Council will accept objections up until the day before the proposals go to the committee for decision. However, if you are unable to submit your objection via the website, then you can e-mail them directly to the Committee Councillors as follows:-

development.central@fife.gov.uk. and jim.birrell@fife.gov.uk

You must write your letter of objection and save it as a PDF before sending it as an attachment to the above e-mail addresses...

Send a copy of it to the following Councillors...

cllrmikescotthayward@msn.com
cllr.elizabeth.riches@fife.gov.uk
cllr.donald.macgregor@fife.gov.uk
cllr.andrew.arbuckle@fife.gov.uk

...and it's always useful to send a copy to the following politicians while you're at it!
Roderick.Campbell.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
fife_office@mingcampbell.org.uk

We'll let you know the outcome as soon as we know the result...

S.C.A.L.E. Mail


When returning from holiday it's always good to find mail in your in-box, and we found a couple of interesting mails from members of the local community that, in the interests of openess, we thought we ought to share....

Firstly, from Mr Rogers, Chair of the CDT

Some members of the CDT would like an oportunity to meet with members of SCALE. If you would like to let me have some dates, I shall see if I can set up the meeting
Thanks
Grahame Rogers

Our reply...

Dear Mr Rogers,
Thank you for your email.
We can see no reason to comply with the request you make on behalf of some of your members for a meeting.
Yours sincerelySCALE blog editor

And secondly, from Mr Anstruther, the owner of North Baldutho Farm, where there is currently an application for two 95 ft turbines to be considered by Fife Council.

Good morning S.C.A.L.E,
two things:  firstly, can I join?  I recognise the importance of the landscape around Carnbee & Arncroach and I am always keen to engage with residents (I assume you are a resident of the Community Council area) about it.  
I assume your group is open to all and I would be very grateful if you could let me know how I can become a member.
Secondly, glad to see you championing democracy.  one of the key foundations for it is transparency.  Please could you let me know your thinking behind anonymity?  It doesn’t seem to fit with your principled stance on local democracy ... or have I got that wrong?  It would be good to ensure that your views are reflected in the discussions at the Community Council.  It will be entirely up to the Council, but I can see fairly fundamental difficulties with the principle of reflecting the views of an anonymous group of unknown size or provenance?  Do you agree?
Thank youToby

Our response...

Dear Mr Anstruther,
Thank you for your email.
We are a group of volunteers, trying to protect the landscape and environment we love.
Members have every right to remain anonymous if they wish and they do not have to give a reason to do so. Given the tight nexus of family, business, landlord-tenant and social relationships which connect people in this area, and the conflict which wind has already caused in the community, it does not take a great leap of imagination to understand why individuals might wish to remain anonymous.
We appreciate your concern for democracy and transparency, but suggest that it would be better directed at the CDT - which is lacking in both these qualities, and which through your factor you are in a position to influence. Similarly the overlap between the CDT and the CC has consistently compromised the latter’s ability to function as a fair and neutral conduit for community views.
While membership of SCALE is open to all, members are expected genuinely to want to preserve and enhance the landscape and environment.You may of course write to us with your reasons why industrial wind development is landscape enhancing and we will consider these reasons.
Yours sincerelySCALE blog editor

We will of course, keep you up to date with any further correspondence we receive from these sources...

Turbine Objections Update...

After the Easter break, here is an update on the number of objections that each application on the East Neuk Ridge currently has on record at Fife Council.

Higham Farm - 2 turbines of 112ft (Planning Ref. 11/05331/FULL)

16 Objections

North Cassingray Farm - 1 turbine of 112ft (Planning Ref. 11/06388/FULL)

16 Objections

South Cassingray Farm - 2 turbines of 325ft (Planning Ref. 10/02616/FULL)

Appeal being considered by Scottish Executive

North Baldutho Farm - 2 turbines of 95ft (Planning Ref. 11/01314/FULL)

7 Objections

South Baldutho Farm - 2 turbines of 150ft and 152ft (Planning Refs. 11/04749/FULL &11/04748/FULL)

128 and 131 Objections respectively

Belliston Quarry - 1 turbine of 304ft (Planning Ref. 11/01449/SCR & 11/03580/SCO) 

Full Application not yet submitted to Fife Council

Lingo & South Kinaldy Farms - 5 turbines of 325ft (Planning Ref. 12/00129/EIA)

219 Objections

Pittarthie Farm - 2 turbines of 286ft (Planning Ref, 11/00135/SCR & 11/00180/SCR)

Full Application not yet submitted to Fife Council

Balhouffie Farm - 1 turbine of 112ft

Application Granted

Drumrack, Bonerbo and Balmonth Farms - 3 turbines of 218ft (Planning Ref. 12/00482/FULL)

22 Objections

Kenly Farm (University Site) - 6 turbines of 325ft (Planning Ref. 11/0279/EIA)

368 Objections

Muirhead Farm Livery Stables - 1 turbine 112ft

Application Refused by FC Planning 21.3.12 (8 Objections)

If you want to object to any or indeed, all of these applications and help to save the East Neuk Coastal Ridge from descending into industrialised ruin, here's how you can do it...

How to Object:

1. On-line at www.planning.fife.gov.uk/online/

You can lodge your objection to any, or all of the above planning applications at the Council's planning web site. Simply put the name or reference number into the search engine, to bring up the application, and type away....

2. By e-mail to development.central@fife.gov.uk.

You must write your letter of objection and save it as a PDF before sending it as an attachment to the above e-mail address. It's always useful to send a copy of it to the following individuals as well while you're at it....!

jim.birrell@fife.gov.uk

cllrmikescotthayward@msn.com
cllr.elizabeth.riches@fife.gov.uk
cllr.donald.macgregor@fife.gov.uk
cllr.andrew.arbuckle@fife.gov.uk
Roderick.Campbell.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
fife_office@mingcampbell.org.uk

3. Or you can simply send a letter by traditional post to 

Enterprise, Planning and Protective Services
Forth House
Abbotshall Road
Kirkcaldy  
KY1 1RU

Please put your Objections in to the Council and let them know that NE Fife is not the place for large-scale Turbine Developments.