Nearly 10,000 people across Scotland have objected directly to the Scottish Government about major windfarm applications in the last five years, David Mundell, the MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, has revealed.
Figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives have shown the SNP has received 9,868 protests about developments over 50 megawatts, which are deemed too large for local authorities to pass judgment on.
Some individual applications received in excess of 2,000 objections, while many of the windfarms which were vigorously contested were handed planning consent anyway.
Mr Mundell, who is on record as saying that “enough is enough” as far as windfarms within his constituency is concerned, added: “And these will be only a fraction of the overall objections to windfarms, as Scotland’s local authorities deal with the majority of cases.”
Since 2008, only 4,051 letters of support were received about the major windfarm applications.
The Scottish Conservatives revealed in November how the SNP waved through 83 per cent of the windfarm bids it received, while the Scottish Government’s fondness for renewables has seen five windfarm applications made a day since 2007.
Mr Mundell, who rural constituency is home to some of the country’s largest windfarms, said that the sheer number of objections received, meant the SNP should be left in no doubt about how Scotland’s communities felt about windfarms.
This was the thin end of the wedge, he said, adding: “These objections are coming from people who have been so irked by the treat of looming wind turbines, they have taken the time to formally contact the Scottish Government to protest.”
This figure did not include the thousands more who found turbines unsightly and unnecessary.
The MP went on: “What is more galling is, despite receiving 10,000 objections, many of these windfarms were waved through anyway. The SNP’s wind energy obsession has to be curbed, otherwise every vista in Scotland will be at-risk from an invasion of great, white turbines.
“That will have a negative impact on tourism and the everyday enjoyment rural communities get from their surroundings.”