Protesters Increase Pressure Against Mochrum Fell Turbines

Husband and Wife Trevor and Elaine Procter from Knockvennie near Castle Douglas  are  against the proposed Mochrum Fell Wind Farm scheme and they asking for local people to join then and object to the scheme by the end of the month.

Trevor and Elaine Said “In 2016 a Government Reporter trampled local democracy and allowed the Mochrum Fell Wind Farm at Appeal, against the unanimous refusal by the elected D&G Planning Committee, strong objections from 5 local Community Councils representing 2400 residents and 880 public objections.

If the developers, Falck, were interested in generating electricity they would have started construction 4 years ago but we suspect their only goal is profit. They have now re-applied to increase the height of 7 turbines from 126.5m to 149.9m with rotors increased from 103m to 140m diameter to maximise profitability.  If approved, this would introduce a wind farm north of Castle Douglas between the A75 and A712 towering up to 70m above the Trig Point summit of Mochrum Fell, clearly visible from all around Corsock, from the A75 Springholm to Castle Douglas, and vast areas of the Stewartry and Glenkens, including Waterside Hill at Dalry, Bennan Viewpoints, the Solway Coast and the hills of South Ayrshire leading to significant adverse effects and impacting tourism.

As well as the existing Blackcraig wind farm (23 turbines of 110m) a tsunami of applications in the pipeline  threaten to overwhelm the area including Mochrum Fell (7 of 149.9m), ), Garcrogo (10 of 190m), Fell (7 of 200m, 2 of 180m) and Whiteneuk (Loch Urr 35 of 250m) wind farms. If approved this would mean 84 turbines up to 250m high dominating the area around Corsock turning it into a wind farm landscape. This landscape is far too special and precious to desecrate.

If consented a new Pylon Line could be needed from Glenlee passing Dumfries to Harker near Carlisle to take electricity to England.

At times the National Grid is already incapable of managing the electricity produced by the Blackcraig wind farm meaning that the turbines are shut down. When this happens the wind farm receives Constraint Payments at twice the generation rate.  Scottish onshore wind farms received nearly £130 million in 2019, £200 million so far in 2020 and more than £700 million over the decade for discarding 8.7 TWh of electricity. These Constraint Payments along with Community Benefits are paid for by us out of our rising electricity bills and green taxes.

Foreign developers are busy making hay whilst the worst peacetime pandemic Covid 19 preoccupies the public and community consultation is curtailed.

We need your help to preserve our priceless landscape. Please send an email objection to the Mochrum Fell Wind Farm application to:   [email protected]  quoting the reference:   20/1683/FUL     and include your name, address and details of your objections, or write to  Planning Department, Council HQ, English Street, Dumfries, DG1 2DD.   before the end of November.

Together we can make a difference if we act now. This is the wrong development in the wrong place.”