LOCAL MP David Mundell is meeting with officials from the Ministry of Defence to discuss their attitude towards wind turbine applications in his Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale constituency.
The MP called for the meeting after being contacted by a number of constituents concerned that the MoD were raising objections to plans for single wind turbines, but not for much larger wind farms.
The MoD have established a 50km exclusion zone from the UK’s seismological station at Eskdalemuir, situated in the hills above Lockerbie. The exclusion zone covers Dumfriesshire, the Clydesdale area of South Lanarkshire and parts of the Borders.
The Eskdalemuir seismological recording station is used to monitor underground nuclear testing across the world. It is the only facility of its kind in the UK, and it fulfils the government's obligation to monitor countries' compliance with the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
Anyone wishing to erect a wind turbine within this area has to have their plans, and type of turbine, thoroughly checked to ensure it will not have an adverse effect on recordings made by the station.
“After being contacted by constituents concerned at an apparent inconsistency with the MoD policy I have arranged to meet officials to discuss this matter. I will be raising constituent’s concerns that the MoD do not appear to be consistent when dealing with wind turbine plans, and are seemingly allowing large scale development, but objecting to individual turbines,” said Mr Mundell.