THE inquiry into the Scoophill windfarm proposal began earlier this week with the community set to have their say on Friday.
It began on on Tuesday at Moffat Town Hall, presided over by Reporter Christopher Warren, pictured below.
First up, lawyers on behalf of the applicants, Community Windpower Ltd, and for Dumfries and Galloway Council scrutinised reports written by experts about the potential impact of the scheme, if it was approved.
Also in attendance at the event was Dumfriesshire MSP Oliver Mundell, who previously stated his objections to the scheme, as well as members of Moffat and District Community Council (MDCC).
One area that was subject to a lot of discussion was the potential impact of site lighting given Moffat’s status as a Dark Sky Town. When asked if the proposed windfarm would ‘destroy any credibility’ of that status, landscape architect James Welsh defended the report and the proposal stating: “I don’t think it’s an accurate portrayal of the proposed development from Moffat and I say that because up to four lights can be seen close to the horizon from the west side of the town but that gets appreciably less as you head towards the east side.
“For example at the observatory, we have checked through wire lines, that one light would be seen very close to the horizon but at present it would be screened by forestry. So I think that overstates the potential impact on the town and its dark sky status.”
The report was then cross examined by the council’s lawyers which lead to a lengthy discussion about the visibility of the turbines from various viewpoints within the town, including the Devil’s Beeftub, Moffat Golf Course, Gallow Hills among others.
When questioned about their visibility, Mr Welch stated: “We’ve assessed significant effects of those areas, although none of them are of the highest order and as we’ve said in the RSA assessment there would be a significant effect on the perception of the setting as you come into Moffat but from inside Moffat itself, and it would be an effect that would be of a lower order of magnitude than what you currently experience on the A708 approaching Moffat from the Moffat Glen where Harestanes is.”
Yesterday the inquiry resumed with the council’s lawyers continuing their cross examination before presenting their evidence against the 60 turbine scheme.
Representatives from the community will have the opportunity to state their cases at the session on Friday. One group, Save Our Hills Moffat (SOHM), have been very vocal in their opposition and see this inquiry as the culmination of several years of debate.
They have christened as ‘one of the most significant events in Moffat’s recent history’.
A SOHM spokesperson said: “We hope that local residents who have shown such concern for their town and its beautiful surroundings will find time to look in on this historic occasion.”
The public inquiry resumes tomorrow at 9.30 am.
