SAM REEVES
There must be a shake-up of the application system for wind farms to prevent time and money being wasted, it was claimed today.
Tory deputy leader Murdo Fraser said that there were "no real guidelines" to show developers which sites were appropriate.
This has led to a "barrage" of applications being submitted for sites in Perthshire and the Stirling area that should not be considered, the mid-Scotland and Fife MSP claimed.
Much time and money were then wasted by both the developers and anti-wind farm campaigners confronting each other, when no application should have been made in the first place, he said.
Mr Fraser today called for a new planning system, which would make it clear where such applications were appropriate.
He said: "I believe that many wind farm applic- ations are inappropriate and would cause more damage, both on the local environment and economy, than good.
"However, since there is a flawed planning system in place for wind farm applications then developers are still submitting applications to build them across the local area.
"This results in so much time, money and effort being put in by both the developers and groups opposed to the wind farm application.
"Everyone is losing out due to the flawed planning system."
He added: "2008 must be the year that the planning system is put right and I will press the Scottish Government to act and bring in new planning guidance."
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