A Freedom of Information request carried out by the Scottish Conservatives has shown a substantial increase in the number of wind farm applications since the SNP came to power in 2007. Before the SNP came to power only 103 wind farm applications were lodged in Perth and Kinross, Clackmannanshire, Stirling and Fife. Since 2007 applications have increased sevenfold to 796 in Mid-Scotland and Fife.
Fife alone increased its number of applications by an unbelievable 1258% from 38 before SNP to 516 since SNP came to power.
Murdo Fraser MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife MSP expressed his concern:
“The SNP has sent a message to anyone applying for a wind farm that they have a good chance of success.
“A blind desire to create energy based on wind is distorting the energy market and forcing more and more Mid-Scotland and Fife residents into fuel poverty. The SNP must realise that they are too focused on a technology that is intermittent, inefficient and expensive. The Scottish Government must spend more time investigating other forms of renewable energy.
“An increase in Fife of 1258% over the past five years is enormous. Between 1999 and 2006 38 applications were submitted in Fife, that figure has risen to 516 applications between 2007 and 2012. Councils simply do not have the resources to properly scrutinise each and every application.
“Scottish Government policy on wind power has resulted in a gold rush for developers, thanks to generous subsidies. If current rates of expansion are maintained there is a real risk of Perthshire’s hills and glens being ruined by poorly places turbines.
“Since the SNP have been in power there has been an increase in wind farm applications in Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Fife. I believe that council time and monies could be spent in better ways than sifting through these requests.