TONY AND THE WINDS OF WAR
DEFENCE chiefs have warned the UK could be unable to fulfil its obligation to monitor worldwide underground nuclear testing - if a Midlem man is given permission to build a single wind turbine.
It follows a decision by Scottish Borders Council's local review body on Monday to back an appeal by Tony Clay, whose original application for a 15m high turbine to power his home was rejected in February due to concerns expressed by the Ministry of Defence.
The MoD placed a ban on wind farms within 31 miles (50 kilometres) of the UK's only nuclear test monitoring station at Eskdalemuir, claiming the noise level within this zone had been reached.
The Whitehall department said any breach would affect the station's ability to record underground nuclear testing, as agreed by the UK Government as part of the United Nations' Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
But it now seems Mr Clay's application will be considered by Scottish Ministers and, if approved, could pave the way for further wind farm development within the 31-mile zone.
A Defence Estates spokesman told The Wee Paper: "Inappropriate wind turbine development in the Eskdalemuir area could jeopardise the station's work and negate the UK Government's obligations to the treaty. Defence Estates - the MoD's land and property organisation - is currently considering the implications of the appeal hearing."
However, Mr Clay, who gave evidence at Monday's meeting along with MoD representative David Jones, said the MoD's policy towards wind turbines around Eskdalemuir was "flawed".
He said: "Their figures don't add up - if the vibrations of my proposed wind turbine will affect the station why do they not object to all wind farm developments?
"We will see if the Scottish Ministers side with the MoD or common sense - I am not confident common sense will prevail."
He added: "I am disappointed the debate has not been opened up before this - myself, John Lamont and Michael Moore have questioned the MoD but we just get the same response."
Councillor Nicholas Watson moved to uphold Mr Clay's appeal during Monday's meeting, which resulted in a 3-2 vote in the appellant's favour.
Mr Watson said: "It was not an easy decision, because although this little windmill fits with SBC policy, an objection from the MOD cannot be taken lightly, and if they had produced sound evidence that it would have interfered with Eskdalemuir then I'm sure we would have turned it down.
"But the MoD view that a single turbine producing just over their noise limit poses a risk while multiple turbines producing just under this limit individually, but collectively far more, should be allowed is difficult to take seriously. Even more alarming is their apparent reluctance to object to large windfarms outside the arbitrary 50km zone which are capable of producing colossally more interference than one small turbine within it."
But asked if he felt Mr Clay's bid could lead to the Eskdalemuir policy being tightened, Mr Watson said: "I have my doubts because the wind lobby or politicians have obviously got at the MoD already - their policy was originally to have been an 80km zone in which no more windfarms would be allowed, but this was deemed to be too limiting for windfarm development so it was reduced to 50km."
Galashiels councillor and Selkirk resident John Mitchell supported Jock Houston's proposal to dismiss the appeal at the meeting.
He added: "If this goes ahead - subject of course to the decision of the Scottish Government which may or may not agree with the decision - then the MoD expert Mr Jones was adamant they would have to write to the relevant authority (United Nations) stating they could no longer comply with it (the treaty)."
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Weather for Selkirk
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: West
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Temperature: 3 C to 8 C
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