WHILE the long wait for a decision on Fallago Rig windfarm continues, a Scottish Borders Councillor has questioned the local authority's future role in the public inquiry process.
A week after it emerged private discussions had taken place between the Ministry of Defence and appellants North British Windpower after last year's Fallago Rig public inquiry, SBC executive member for planning and the environment, Carolyn Riddell-Ca
rre, has said any further council decisions on windfarm proposals overturned by the Scottish Government could see the authority turn its back on public inquiries.
Mrs Riddell-Carre was critical of Scottish Government Reporter Malcolm Mahony after he recommended approval for PM Renewables' 22 turbine development at Drone Hill near Coldingham despite SBC turning down the original application and strong opposition from Coldingham Stop the Turbines Group (STAG).
Mr Mahony has yet to recommend against a windfarm developer, and a decision from the reporter on Dunion Hill's public inquiry is expected within the next month.
Coupled with the fact that SBC have been overruled in all four public inquiries to take place in the Scottish Borders in favour of the appellant, Councillor Riddell-Carre fears the pending decisions at Dunion Hill near Jedburgh and Fallago Rig will once again go against them.
The Selkirkshire councillor said: "At Drone Hill the reporter had never found against a windfarm applicant.
"He may change his mind with Dunion Hill, but if Mr Mahony rules again with the windfarm appellant, the council will have a very strong case for saying to the Scottish Government 'Our policies don't matter, you sort it.'
"It is very difficult for the council when we make a decision on a windfarm application based on our policies which are approved by Scottish ministers, only for a Scottish Government Reporter to overrule."
Mrs Riddell-Carre added: "The Borders cannot become a pin cushion to shove in windfarms. Our greatest asset is our landscape and the fact we are very accessible for people from Edinburgh and Newcastle."
Coldingham STAG campaigner Kenryck Lloyd-Jones agrees with Mrs Riddell-Carre's assessment and has written to John Swinney, Scottish Government Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, to question Holyrood's national strategy which he believes is "inadequate."
Mr Lloyd-Jones said: "There is no national strategy, just a policy that is very vague.
"The policy is littered with caveats so the decision always rests upon the individual reporter and their interpretation.
"Looking at the Borders, there is a huge disproportion compared to the rest of Scotland despite there being doubts over how much renewable energy is produced from windfarms.
"Our central concern with public inquiries is that they are in favour of developers because they have more money to get effective legal representatives. Then it is a David and Goliath situation."
Mr Lloyd-Jones' belief is that the windfarm applications are decided on a political basis rather than listening to the local people, such as Coldingham STAG, and local authorities like SBC.
"I am not against windfarms," added Mr Lloyd-Jones. "It is more the way decisions are taken and the way the Scottish landscape is being effected for minimal benefits.
"What is the point of the local democracy process if the Scottish Government is going to overrule it?"
In response, a Scottish Government spokesman said they are continuing to try and improve the public inquiry process but that location had no bearing on the success of a windfarm appeal by applicants.
He added: "Reporters treat every application on its merits.
"We are working to improve the efficiency of Scotland's planning system and have speeded up the time taken to determine planning appeals.
"This gives a greater certainty of speed of decision-making, especially important in the current economic climate."
Thus far, four public inquiries in the Scottish Borders have gone in favour of the windfarm company whose first application to SBC's planning department was turned down.
They are: Langhope Rig, Ashkirk (10 turbines), Toddleburn, Oxton (12), Howburn and Bow Farm, Stow (19) and Drone Hill, Coldingham (22).
Final decisions by Scottish Government are still to be made on Dunion Hill, Jedburgh (8 turbines) and Fallago Rig, Duns (48).
•The meeting of the Abbey St Bathans Bonkyl and Preston Community Council, to be held in Abbey St Bathans Village Hall tonight (Thursday) at 7.00pm will be addressed by Rob Fryer, projects director, Community Windpower Ltd, who will talk about proposed windfarms locally.
