Dave Thompson MSP

The Editor. Ross-shire Journal.

Dear Sir.

I refer to letters in the Ross-shire Journal on 14th and 21st February concerning wind farms referring to myself and my colleague Rob Gibson.

Firstly, can I say that your correspondents are perfectly entitled to their views on wind farms and the SNP Scottish Government and I doubt that my reply is very likely to get them to change their minds about either.

However, I also am entitled to draw my own conclusions from their comments against wind farms and some of their damning comments about the SNP Scottish Government. Many of your correspondents show an absolute antipathy to any kind of wind farm, from single to multiple turbines, and it appears they would not be happy unless there were none at all. It also seems to have bypassed them that other major parties also support renewables, including wind farms.

Some of their recent comments contain interesting language about Highlanders being treated “like indigenous peoples in third world countries” who are being “driven out as loggers clear the jungle”. This sort of language is offensive and to accuse the SNP Government of such things belies their claims that they are impartial in this debate. I do not recognise this description of the creation of jobs in the Highlands by development of wind farms and other renewables, which will only be of long term benefit to Highlanders.

Indeed, these developments will help stem the “curse” of the Highlands which has been emigration. Often at the hands of rapacious landlords, as John Prebble’s book on the Clearances clearly shows, and, in more recent years, because of a lack of good quality, well paid, jobs. Indeed, a quick look at the census figures shows that we have around 17% less 17 to 29 year olds in the Highlands and Islands than the rest of Scotland. HIE has estimated that this amounts to around 10,000 of our 17 to 29 year olds over a ten year period and is partly what drove them, along with others, to back the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).

UHI will help stem the outward flow of our young folk by allowing them to be fully educated near to home and will also attract other youngsters, as well as, in its own right, creating much needed high quality jobs.

What we need, however, are many more high quality jobs and the renewables industry (yes, it is an industry) will help to provide them.

The renewables industry is not, however, industrialising the Highlands and Islands in the way that is claimed. An objective look at a map shows that there are huge areas, particularly in the west, which are absolutely free of wind farms and will remain so. It is also a fact that the Scottish Government planning system is approving some wind farms and rejecting others like those at Druim Ba and Clach Liath. Indeed, one of your correspondents mentioned the near inevitability of Fairburn 2, but it has just been withdrawn!

Planning policy is taking account of the cumulative effect of wind farms, a matter which I took up with the Chief Planner at the Scottish Government, and I would expect to see less and less being approved where we already have some. I believe that a balance is being struck which is about right.

Where we are seeing industrialisation of the Highlands and Islands is at places like Nigg, Kishorn and Ardersier and that is a great thing. Thousands of well paid, quality jobs are being created which will allow Highlanders to come and work back home and will give a fantastic future to young Highlanders who won’t have to emigrate to get on.

There is no reason why our valuable tourist industry cannot thrive alongside a successful renewables industry which includes wind farms and the most recent visitor figures show that we are doing rather well despite claims that the wind farm developments of recent years would destroy tourism.

I remember a very vociferous campaign against the Edinbane wind farm on Skye with one of the main protagonists claiming that it would affect local house prices. It didn’t, and the gentleman in question moved on and sold his house at a handsome profit! Another campaigner told me that he would stop my political career in its tracks if I didn’t back him but I have been elected twice since that particular threat.

As I said at the start of this email I respect people’s right to disagree with me and my party but it does appear to me that some have become anti SNP just as much as they are anti windfarm, which is a pity because it does not help the debate.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Thompson MSP
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch (SNP)
Constituency Office
Thorfin House
Bridgend Business Park
Dingwall