Machrihanish Offshore Windfarm

[bassett]

Been catching up on this thread and have to admit that I would fall into Bill's camp of indifferent locals.I would make the comment though,that if jowett63's main arguement against is the loss of a view,then he is onto a loser from the off.

[pipey]

I am a native of Campbeltown now living and working elsewhere. I moved out of the area because of the lack of employment with my family and have regretted it constantly since. Not because my move was wrong but because my heart is still there.
Even when we were at our lowest financial ebb we would never sell our souls to people who would impose a monstrosity like this on any community. You see there is a correct and incorrect way to conduct your life. I believe the correct way is to protect the integrity of what is sacred to you and the community you cherish and to discourage anything or anyone who would have an adverse effect on it for future generations. My wife has asked me to add her disgust at this crime and she is not a native of Kintyre.
Someone stated in defense of this proposal that there is no evidence that the 105 turbines would impact on the environment. (Remember the environment covers hundreds of things such as the shore area, the sea bed, resident and migratory Fish and Birds to name a couple). The reason is that there has never been a development this close to shore and of this scale. Using that logic I will rush out and invest my life savings and all of my assets including my property on a nag in the 3.30 at Haydock. I mean there is no evidence that the horse will lose. Dead sert I would say.
If there is no evidence then the project should be postponed until there is either way.
Regarding employment. Will there be local employment and how much and will it surpass the local employment lost by all that will close and go bankrupt. Or will the government again give away Tax payers money in grant form to these companies who will use it to employ cheap labor from another country. It would not be the first time. Suppose Gordon Brown would regard me as Bigoted. Not the case. I just don’t like my hard earned Taxes being given away. There is a simple solution. Recently I was Proud to vote for a Scottish party to fight for our country on the world stage. We all make mistakes. If we see our country being ruined then we have to get rid of the cause. I am ashamed of the behavior of the SNP. They have been a national disgrace and need to go. They are behind the amount of wind farms we have and will have so we can impact on this by getting them out of power and finding a replacement.
It is also stated that the hotels and B and Bs will benefit during the construction phase. If the owners are conscientious then I would ask a huge favor to the community. I understand business is tight and your accounts will benefit but look at what is being proposed and don’t accommodate them. Everyone make it a very unpleasant place to be for the companies generally within the law. I am neutral on my views on France but have to admire them when they don’t like what is being imposed on them. Maybe a leaf out of their book would be the way to go.
I wish all the best to the people I know and respect so much and offer my support to the protest against this joke of a proposal. Although am not laughing.
Some of my comments are ruled by my heart for which I make no apology. It makes me feel sick.

[mrsbagpuss]

(I've been holding back saying this as I’m sure this will rile most folk, but........)
I have to say I find it slightly Hypocritical that the community wanted and campaigned for a turbine factory at Machrihanish, but it seems it’s only acceptable to produce the things as long as they are not used in your eyeline........ I am a local, but have also lived elsewhere with these things on my doorstep and must say it neither put me up nor down, and I couldn’t hear any noise from them..... these were on shore, but the area was rural so the view was compromised but not the whole 360 degrees..... you find you dont notice them! And as Kintyre is full of lovely views I can't see that tourists will be seriously put off?
(Sorry to be contraversial, I'm not being argumentative so be kind to me !)

[LANDROVER ROGER]

(I've been holding back saying this as I’m sure this will rile most folk, but........)
I have to say I find it slightly Hypocritical that the community wanted and campaigned for a turbine factory at Machrihanish, but it seems it’s only acceptable to produce the things as long as they are not used in your eyeline........ I am a local, but have also lived elsewhere with these things on my doorstep and must say it neither put me up nor down, and I couldn’t hear any noise from them..... these were on shore, but the area was rural so the view was compromised but not the whole 360 degrees..... you find you dont notice them! And as Kintyre is full of lovely views I can't see that tourists will be seriously put off?
(Sorry to be contraversial, I'm not being argumentative so be kind to me !)

Good point of view and very well put!

[Ninja Mania]

Mrsbagpuss, Kintyre may be full of lovely views, if your travelling about looking for them, but if you stay in the Laggan side of Kintyre, then there is only 1 view and that is across the bay.

[mrsbagpuss]

ninja mania - yes, thankyou, thats my point, I don't think tourism to Kintyre will be effected by the windfarm.

[bill]

So let me get this right........

There is another thread ....

"SKYCON ORDER
Postby DRUMLEMEN1 » Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:59 pm
Good news-SKYCON win order for Europe's largest onshore windfarm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/gla ... 378524.stm"

Which is ofcourse fantastic news,but when there is a plan afoot to situate a windfarm off the coast at Machrihanish,which it is possible Skycon could get the order for,it is not good news.

Sounds like a case of Not In My Back Yard to me.Great news for Skycon winning orders as long as they are not going to be situated to spoil your views.
Can't really have it both ways.

(I've been holding back saying this as I’m sure this will rile most folk, but........)
I have to say I find it slightly Hypocritical that the community wanted and campaigned for a turbine factory at Machrihanish, but it seems it’s only acceptable to produce the things as long as they are not used in your eyeline........ I am a local, but have also lived elsewhere with these things on my doorstep and must say it neither put me up nor down, and I couldn’t hear any noise from them..... these were on shore, but the area was rural so the view was compromised but not the whole 360 degrees..... you find you dont notice them! And as Kintyre is full of lovely views I can't see that tourists will be seriously put off?
(Sorry to be contraversial, I'm not being argumentative so be kind to me !)

Glad it's not just me with this view(no pun intended)

[EMDEE]

On the face of it, this does look a bit hypocritical, but much of the argument against the siting of these turbines at Machrihanish is based on the fact that Kintyre, because of its remote location, arguably has a fragile tourist economy, which could be compromised by such a development. It would be impossible to predict to what extent this would be the case until it was too late to do anything about it. Who knows? It possibly wouldn't have a major impact on the tourism industry, but it sure would change the face of West Kintyre, and not for the better.

I don't think this is purely NIMBYism, as there are sites which are more appropriate for a development of this nature and scale, and the fact that wind turbines are being manufactured in Kintyre is not incompatible with the community not wanting to have this sort of development foisted onto their doorstep.

[A15 NMA]

The other night I stood in my back garden and could see only stars and hear only the rumble of the surf. If we surrender, then in 4 years time I will see only a gaudy array of navigation lights and the disonant droning whoosh of the blades. Nature or industry? i thought windfarms were supposed to help preserve such wonders.

jowett63, you can sleep easy - the stars will always be there. I am confident that you won't hear any noise from the blades (dependent on turbine selection) either, it would be the fog horns that I would be concerned about as the "mist rolls in from the sea"

[Sheik Yir Erse]

I wonder, if the Kintyre Forum had been around hundreds of years ago, would we be able view the archived threads covering such topics as ......

We don't want farming here, it ruins the land.
We don't want golf courses here, it'll spoil the land and the views.
We don't want a quay here, it'll spoil the loch.
We don't want another quay here, the loch's already spoiled by the first one.
We don't want a coalmine here, it will be dangerous for people to work in.
We don't want an Oil Depot here, it spoils the hillside.
We don't want a shipyard here, it spoils the view of Davaar Island.
We don't want forestry here, it spoils the views in Kintyre.
We don't want an airstrip here, it spoils the laggan plain.
We don't want playing fields on Kinloch, they spoil the land.
We don't want a new school up there, it spoils the view.
We don't want an RAF base here, there'll be noise from all those planes and the roads will be too busy.
..... etc
...........etc
...............etc

It's the same arguement for a different age. I'm guessing if all the nimbys had their way over the years, Campbeltown would still consist of one single house

I think tomorrow's children might be happier with a poorer view out of Machrihanish than continuing our unsustainable reliance on exisiting energy sources.

As far as the tourist thing is concerned, I've holidayed in Britain many times, I've never once thought to ascertain the proximity of a wind farm before making my decision

Finally, at least Kintyre will actually be benefitting economically from the manufacturing of the towers, not something that can be said for the remainder of the proposed sites.

I think that's my 2 pence firmly deposited

[mrsbagpuss]

because of its remote location, arguably has a fragile tourist economy, which could be compromised by such a development

If it goes ahead, there could be a visitors centre and observatory in Machrihanish for tourists (kids love these things) a good rainy day holiday activity! Also schools could use it too......... I once went to the Sellafield visitors centre (about 10 years ago) and it was a good day out, regardless of the industry it was promoting, we went and spent money as did countless other tourists. (I dont know if its there now) It could draw tourists round that way who otherwise might not go to machrihanish, if they were looking for somthing to do (especially on a wet day and there is usually one or two).

[mrn]

It's the same arguement for a different age. I'm guessing if all the nimbys had their way over the years, Campbeltown would still consist of one single house

There is nothing the matter with people expressing concerns or opposition at developments.

I think tomorrow's children might be happier with a poorer view out of Machrihanish than continuing our unsustainable reliance on exisiting energy sources.

Yes, I've just read all of the posts in this subject again and I don't think there is one person on here who is saying they are against windfarms. There just appears to be a case of genuine concern about the location. It is rather close to the shore and it certainly going to make a huge difference to the vllage.

Do all you supporters just expect people to turn a blind eye to these proposals?

[ultraviolet]

FYI

The "short term" areas which wizzie talks about above are "Round 3" projects (5 on the East coast & 5 on the West coast) Those areas all have an approved lease for development. Apparently the only thing which will deny these projects the go ahead is an extremely rare find of some unknown marine life

I assume this includes the project off Kintyre? If it does then from what you say then nothing will stop it?

[kintyre 84]

MRN I have been thinking of replying because I was getting wound up by all the supporters and your words are exactly what I wanted to say. Not once have I said I don't want a windfarm, not once have I thought that they are not a good thing for the area.... I just feel that the positioning of it it so so wrong and will blight the landscape so badly. Resiting it further round, even by a mile, will apease so many people.

Every one is entitled to their own opinion, I am just surprised at those who are unmoved by the thought of our beautiful coast line being invaded. I have been coming here for years and years and lived here for nearly 10. The thought of coming round the corner at Glenbar and seeing 105 wind turbines makes me sad. Its the most beautiful sight.

[Ags]

I'm with Kintyre84 and well done MRN for saying what I wanted to say too! Out of the 150 people at the meeting in Machrihanish last week, not one person is/was against wind power and renewable energy!! It's the location we are arguing! Never mind the visitor centre Mrs Bagpuss thinks will make some money for the area, you can all come and have a wee chat in my sitting room, you will even be able to rest your weary legs because you will be able to admire the view from one, two, three of our chairs. Nimby??? Hypocrite??? Sticks and stones and all that...... I wish skycon well with the work they do but I am 100% against this location which will spoil one of the nicest views in the West of Scotland.......just my opinion!