The public should have more than just 30 days to submit comments on the planning application for the Faw Side wind farm, community councillors agreed this week.
Langholm, Ewes and Westerkirk Community Council plan to request an extension to the consultation period for another 30 days.
Chairman John Galloway said it would be “prudent” to ask the applicant, Community Windpower Ltd (CWL), to extend the consultation beyond July 8 to give people who couldn’t readily access the documents time to fully inform themselves and lodge their views.
The wind farm planning application was submitted to the Scottish Government by CWL Energy Limited last week and the company has said it plans to stage an exhibition in Langholm later this month.
Momentum
Meanwhile opposition to the plan for the 45, mostly 200m, turbines on the hills west of the Ewes Valley has been gathering momentum.
The Faw Side Community Group is planning a public engagement meeting at the Buccleuch Centre in Langholm at 6.30pm on Sunday (June 9).
It launched a Facebook page –
Communities Against Fawside Wind Farm – last week, which has attracted almost 200 followers, held meetings in Ewes and Benty halls and took a stand at the Farmers’ Market in Langholm on Saturday.
A spokesperson for the group said: “We have been trying to make people sit up and notice and there has been an unbelievable response.
Enormity
“People had no idea of the enormity of what’s going to land on their doorstep and are now asking what they can do to help us.
“We haven’t come across one person who’s not prepared to fill in a petition form or write a letter of objection.
“Everyone is in total disbelief that this could be allowed to happen.”
The group is encouraging anyone worried about the application to come to Sunday’s meeting: “If they are concerned at all they should come. If everyone just sits at home, they’ll have to put up with it.”
It can be viewed at www.fawsidewindfarm.co.uk
CWL says the development would generate enough energy to power 328,400 homes each year over the next 40 years.
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