Wednesday 16 December 2015

Pylons Update from Planning Applications Committee

Dear Kirkmahoe resident,

I’m pleased to confirm that at the Planning Applicatons Committee meeting last week the decision was made to submit some comments to SPEN at this stage. The 7 comments are shown below.

1.   The present statement of why the project is needed is inadequate and relies too heavily on the fact that it is included in NPF3. The Council would expect SPEN to publish the Need Case for the project as soon as possible and certainly in advance of the 2nd public consultation.
2.   The Council would expect SPEN to take into account the views of local communities likely to be impacted by the route/options and to include residential amenity in their assessment.
3.   The Council would expect SPEN to more fully detail the economic impact, both positive and negative, of their proposals, with reference to the Council’s Regional Economic Strategy. Information on future maintenance (including health and safety issues) should be addressed.
4.   The Council would expect SPEN to take full account of the importance of the regional landscape quality of Dumfries and Galloway, and to give cognisance to the Council’s Landscape Character Assessment (plus associated guidance within the Dumfries and Galloway Wind Farm Landscape Capacity Study) as the Council considers that it is insufficient to refer only to national and European designated areas as key landscape constraints.
5.   With regard to the above, the Council expect SPEN to adopt all possible mitigation to avoid any adverse impact on the region’s sensitive landscape areas, including undergrounding and other routeing options, such as undersea routeing.
6.   At this stage, the Council expects SPEN to have an open mind on alternatives other than just the route corridor options shown in their consultation, and to fully assess and appraise options at this early stage rather than ruling them out. There is insufficient justification at this early stage for SPEN’s preferred corridor and the Council would urge them at this stage to undertake a fully open and transparent options appraisal.
7.   The Council requests that SPEN allow sufficient periods of time for the submission of comments during the second and third phases of public consultation and that the consultations should be undertaken in accordance with the National Standards for Community Engagement.
I need not tell you that this decision by the committee is a good step forward in the campaign against pylons. In addition to MPs and MSPs, the planning officers and councillors have also now recognised the concerns of local residents and will formally present the above comments to SPEN. As you would expect, SPEN had observers at the meeting and will be aware  already of the position now taken by the council.

A reprint of the "Dumfries and Galloway Unspoiled" 2016 calendar has been ordered as all current stocks are exhausted. If you still wish to order calendars please email Barbara Webb on webb473@btinternet.com or call her on 01848 332554 or email no2pylons@gmail.com. Please give your name, address, email address, and the quantity required.

Christmas cards from Kirkmahoe Against Pylons are being delivered to each household in the parish, and hopefully you’ll find them both seasonal and amusing. They have also been sent to each MP, MSP, local councillors, SPEN CEO, etc.

Thank you to everyone for your efforts, and for your suggestions and words of support over the past six months. It is of course still early days, but I believe the various communities and groups opposing pylons end the year having made a good deal of progress. Remember to also follow the Dumgalagainstpylons site where you’ll find lots of information and updates. http://dumgalagainstpylons.org/news/

Merry Christmas everyone - and lets hope for another good push forward in 2016.

Carol



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