News
12.02.2008
Midlothian Council have refused the application for the Auchencorth wind farm proposal. Read more.
24.01.2008
Midlothian Council Planning Committee announced at their January meeting that they will make a decision on the Auchencorth wind
farm proposal at their 12th February meeting.
18.12.2007
A Report by Penicuik Environment Protection Association of the Seminar for Midlothian Councillors on the Auchencorth Wind Farm Proposal is available here.
05.12.2007 IMPORTANT
The rescheduled meeting of the Planning Committee of Midlothian Council is now to be held in Penicuik Town Hall at 10am on December 12th 2007. Read more.
20.10.2007 Important
CANCELLED - Windfarm meeting at 10am on Wednesday 24th October. Read more.
02.10.2007
Special meeting of the Planning Committee on October 24th, 2007 at 10am in Penicuik Town Hall to hear presentations from EON and also
a presentation from Objectors. Read more.
02.10.2007
Local Plan Inquiry. EON has a Formal Inquiry on 12th October 2007 and PEPA has a Hearing on October 11th 2007 at Newtongrange Mining Museum. Read more.
20.03.2007
The Landscape Capacity Study for Wind Turbine Development has been published. It states that there is no area in
Midlothian suitable for large commercial wind farms. There are a few places where turbines of up to 30m high could be
accommodated in clusters of no more than five. Read more.
31.01.2007 Urgent
The Planning Department are still accepting representations as they have not yet received the Landscape Capacity
Study and are not in a position to consider the application at the moment. Please object to Midlothian Council in writing
or by the eobject button on the website.
Important
During the last week of January and first week of February 2007, the Planning Department has acknowledged email objections received via the website since February 2006.
The email address given to PEPA's consultant setting up the eobject site by a Planning Official was incorrect. Fortunately a
backup file has been obtained but if you have not received an acknowledgement by February 8th 2007, please resubmit. A new email address has been provided and is operational.
If you had already received an acknowledgement previously for objections submitted via letter / postcard, another acknowledgement would not be sent out (unless any new issues
had been raised).
If you have any doubts about the effect wind farms have on the landscape please look at this photo on the BBC News website of the Braes of Doune Windfarm currently under construction and its effect on Stirling Castle.
22.01.2007
Energy regulator Ofgem calls for sweeping changes to the way Britain subsidises green power projects such as wind farms,
saying that the current system is a very expensive way to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Contact Us
If you would like to help with our campaign please email us at info@pepawind.org.uk
and let us know how you would like to assist.
Welcome to the web site of the Penicuik Environment Protection Association (PEPA).
PEPA was formed by residents of Penicuik, Carlops and Howgate communities to protect Auchencorth Moss near Penicuik from E.ON's proposal to build 18 x 2.5 MW wind turbines. E.ON is the UK Market Unit for the German (Dusseldorf-based) Corporate Centre E.ON AG.
Auchencorth Moss lies between the Pentland and Moorfoot Hills. The proposed windfarm, on this raised peat bog, would be highly visible from major roads (A701/A702/A703), which are the main tourist routes to Edinburgh. Auchencorth Moss is also visible from the Pentland Hills, a Regional Park and designated area of great landscape beauty.
Our reasons for wishing to protect this visually and habitat sensitive site can be found by clicking here. If you agree with us then we would like to hear from you - please email us at info@pepawind.org.uk.
PEPA believes that Areas of Great Landscape Value containing an SSSI like Auchencorth Moss should be ring fenced against wind farm development, much like the protection of 'Greenbelt' land.
If
you would like more detailed scientific data on the limitations and difficulties
of wind energy then why not download our "Windfarms:
A Reality Check" paper by Professor Anthony Trewavas FRS. FRSE.
Acad Europ. and Dr Bruce Hobbs Ph.D.
If government targets for 2010 are reached, all renewables will only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.5 percent; Kyoto requires 10 percent!
PEPA
believes that E.ON's proposal for
18 x 330 foot high towers with blades the size of jet aircraft is incompatible
with numerous planning restrictions. The quality of life of the many thousands
who pass Auchencorth every day by the A701 and A702 or who live within the
vicinity would be diminished. The visual impact would be damaging (see
Gallery).
E.ON submitted their planning application in February 2006. PEPA submitted a detailed rebuttal of the Environmental Statement
in July 2006 covering Landscape Impact, Technical Impracticalities, Habitat and Species Imapact, Tourism, Cultural Heritage Impact,
Amenity and Safety Impacts and National Energy Policy.
Representations on the proposal, submitted to Midlothian Council Spring 2006, are now on public view at the Council Offices. We estimate there were over 2000 representations from the public against the proposal with about 20 in support. Public bodies who made representations against the proposal include Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Borders Regional Council, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Ramblers Association, Butterfly Conservation Society, Friends of the Pentlands, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Esk Valley Trust, Howgate Community Council and West Linton Community Council.
For comments by PEPA on the proposal please see this document.
As our blazing turbine picture, which we produced to advertise our Public Meeting on March 19th, 2006, is now on an international web site, it seems we had better give it pride of place. The Meeting was very successful and many thanks to our guest speakers, Professor David Bellamy, David Brierley, Bob Graham and John Campbell QC.
