Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Audra MacPhee submission of 29 September 2021
PE1864/YYYY: Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
I support this petition – my evidence below demonstrates the need for change.
My family and I have experienced being up against one of the big multinational energy giants fighting several windfarm planning applications for the past 10 years or more - to say it has been and still is a David and Goliath experience is an understatement as this company seem to have an army of “Goliaths”. In the past 10 years there have been applications for at least four large scale windfarm developments and several smaller scale developments on land adjacent to our home.
I feel that we have been let down by planning process, public inquiry and the Scottish Government. This fight is not over but we have had to learn to live with the fall out of these developments proceeding which for our family has meant living next to an industrial scale windfarm and the impact that these turbines have had on our outlook and the nuisance they cause us in respect of noise. Three large scale windfarm developments were approved, one of these applications went to public inquiry (PI) and subsequently approval for the development was granted by Scottish Ministers. The result of this is that we live with 88 wind turbines on 3 sides of our home, turbines which are 100m+ and 26 of which being within a 2km radius of our home.
The actual process of navigating planning at local authority level in respect of objecting is ominous, the terminology and documentation even in a basic application can be beyond most laypeople. Then when local planning fails and your application heads along the PI route. There is nothing else to do but to seek professional help in respect of acoustic expert and legal counsel and then you face the daunting experience of this impacting on your family financially in addition to the other implications of a fight such as this. The PI process for us was intimidating even with support from our legal counsel. As a witness the developers legal counsel did an excellent job of character assassination and branded many of those who fought the development to be suffragette type objectors! It was interesting to note that expert witnesses got treated with a great deal of respect even when their opinions differed however those within the community, who had to live with the issue these developments created, were treated with contempt and made to look foolish - no short of bullying tactics. I was very disappointed that the Reporter in charge of our PI did not put a stop to this behaviour and the treatment of those who bore witness.
I believe that decisions such as windfarm applications need to have input from people who have a vested interest in the area and know the geography and surrounding communities and for any such decision to be upheld not overridden by the Scottish Ministers.
In our fight against these developments, we have found that human beings, families, communities seem to mean nothing when these developments are being considered and that we may have had more of a chance of holding back the application had we been a protected species of animal or bird!
Many of the individuals within the community who fought these developments have now given up either disheartened or overwhelmed by it all. My family and I are still fighting!
The whole planning process for this type of application needs reform otherwise there will continue to be casualties like us. Once planning has been granted there is little recourse in getting developers to address any problems or concerns in respect of construction of this type of development or operation of these plants.
Related correspondences
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Scottish Government submission of 1 June 2021
PE1864/A - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alec Kidd submission of 2 June 2021
PE1864/B - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Christopher Shaw submission of 3 June 2021
PE1864/C - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Helen Braynis submission of 3 June 2021
PE1864/D - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Elaine Nisbet submission of 5 June 2021
PE1864/E - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Victoria Boyle submission of 3 June 2021
PE1864/F - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Iain Milligan submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/G - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
John Logan submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/H - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Janet and Michael Holley submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/I - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Tracey Smith submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/J - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Matthew Reiss submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/K - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Jerry Mulders submission of 4 June 2021
PE1864/L - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
William Jackson submission of 5 June 2021
PE1864/M - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Caithness West Community Council submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/N - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
J W Ponton submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/O - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
George Herraghty submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/P - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Ian Miller submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/Q - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Greta Roberts submission of 7 June 2021
PE1864/R - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Sue Hall submission of 8 June 2021
PE1864/S - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
June and Ed Hall submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/T - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alison Johnston submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/U - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Andrew Chadderton submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/V - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
James Tanner submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/W - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Amanda Rofe submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/X - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Howard and Grace Goldstein submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/Y - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Trevor Procter submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/Z - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Petitioner submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864/AA - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Moraig Lyall submission of 9 June 2021
PE1864_BB - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Angus Farquhar submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864/CC - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Brian Johnstone submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864/DD - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Elaine Procter submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864/EE - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Hazel Appleton submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864_FF - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Peter Dunn submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864_GG - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
John Edmondson submission of 10 June 2021
PE1864/HH - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Petitioner submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/II - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Rosemary Milne submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/JJ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Elinor Ross submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/KK - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alan Cairns submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/LL - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Celia Hobbs submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/MM - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Rachel Connor submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/NN - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Brian Bell submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/OO - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Ronald and Irene Bain submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/PP - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Chris Fawcett submission of 11 June 2021
PE1864/QQ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Jane Dickson submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/RR - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
John Chapman submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/SS - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Fiona Ainslie submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/TT - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alison Chapman submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/UU - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Rowland Shallcross submission of 12 June 2021
PE1864/VV - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
David Scott submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/WW - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Patricia Brander submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/XX - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alison and Paul Garrod submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/YY - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
James Taylor submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/ZZ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Bob Chicken submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/AAA - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Simon Arnold submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/BBB - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Norrie McLeod submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/CCC - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Lorna McClean submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/DDD - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Lyndsey Ward submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/EEE - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Dr Guy Vernham submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/FFF - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Elizabeth and Ian Richardson submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/GGG - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Frank Hay submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/HHH - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Mary Young submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/III - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Chris Walsh submission of 13 June 2021
PE1864/JJJ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Kathrin Haltiner submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/KKK - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Stephen Mardon submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/LLL - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Mrs S McKenzie submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/MMM - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Moscow and Waterside Community Council submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/NNN - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Margaret Addo submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/OOO - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
John Scott submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/PPP - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Jim Pratt submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/QQQ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
H Menhinick on behalf of Dailly Community Council submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/RRR - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Gladys Speirs submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/SSS - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Gilian Macpherson submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/TTT - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Fiona Clubb submission of 14 June 2021
PE1864/UUU - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
David Slater submission of 15 June 2021
PE1864/VVV - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Geraldine Hamilton submission of 16 June 2021
PE1864/WWW - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Celia Strain submission of 16 June 2021
PE1864/XXX - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Alistair Buckoke submission of 17 June 2021
PE1864/YYY - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Bruce Hobbs submission of 17 June 2021
PE1864/ZZZ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Joy Kendall submission of 22 June 2021
PE1864/AAAA - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Charmaine Dean and Stewart Baillie submission of 23 June 2021
PE1864/BBBB - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Tim Harrison submission of 23 June 2021
PE1864/CCCC - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Marion Lang submission of 27 June 2021
PE1864/DDDD - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Nigel A R Willis submission of 28 June 2021
PE1864/EEEE - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Keith and Margaret Mycock submission of 26 July 2021
PE1864/FFFF - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Sandra Cunliffe submission of 26 July 2021
PE1864/GGGG - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Roger Hissett submission of 26 July 2021
PE1864/HHHH - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Brian Wade submission of 26 July 2021
PE1864/IIII - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Graham Lang submission of 27 July 2021
PE1864/JJJJ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Mr and Mrs Spratling submission of 28 July 2021
PE1864/KKKK - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Peter A Kew submission of 28 July 2021
PE1864/LLLL - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Ian Dippie submission of 28 July 2021
PE1864/MMMM - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Kim Terry submission of 3 August 2021
PE1864/NNNN - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Marion Milliner submission of 3 August 2021
PE1864/OOOO - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Joyce Miller submission of 3 August 2021
PE1864/PPPP - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Aileen Jackson submission of 3 August 2021
PE1864/QQQQ - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Hugh Ligat submission of 10 August 2021
PE1864/RRRR - Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Chahna Sudevan submission of 10 August 2021
PE1864/SSSS - Increase the ability of communities to influence decisions for onshore wind farms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Christopher Ford submission of 18 August 2021
PE1864/TTTT: Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Carole Williams submission of 18 August 2021
PE1864/UUUU: Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Corsock & Kirkpatrick Durham Community Council submission of 23 August 2021
PE1864/VVVV: Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Sylvia Anderson submission of 24 August 2021
PE1864/WWWW
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Dr Rachel Connor submission of 27 August 2021
PE1864/XXXX
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Audra MacPhee submission of 29 September 2021
PE1864/YYYY: Increase the ability of communities to influence planning decisions for onshore windfarms