Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – With farmers and developers trying to get planning permission for windfarms all over Fife, we should check what protection the council is offering Fifers and our tourist trade against Fife becoming one big windfarm.
In 2006 Fife Council commissioned and adopted a study by a firm called ASH. The study’s conclusions are used to guide developers to suitable locations.
ASH reported that nowhere in Fife is suitable for turbines over 100 metres tall. The firm also said that turbine numbers should be limited to up to five in a group, unless they are lower than 50 metres tall.
Upland areas where turbines would be prominently in view are discouraged.
So how do council planners reflect those findings?
At Clatto Hill, they are ignored. Planning officials have recommended that the planning committee approves two applications side by side on top of the Hill totalling eight turbines: three 100 metres tall and five 115 metres tall.
So there you have it, developers. It would seem that you can apply for whatever you like.
However, at two council area committees in February almost all councillors saw things differently and suggested the planning committee should actually follow the guidelines and turn down the applications at Clatto Hill.
What the planning committee does at Clatto Hill will be a signpost for the future of Fife.
Will the county become a windfarm, or not?
(Mr and Mrs) J. Wilson.Brooklynn,Dunduff,Dunfermline.
Remove food waste and gulls will leave
Sir, – I read with dismay and astonishment the article regarding the introduction of South American Harris Hawks to the central area of St Andrews as a means of stopping ‘the scourge’ of seagulls.
After all these years, can’t anyone local or on the council see that the primary reason for these seagulls ‘scourging’ the town centre is the abundance of food left out by the local residents in plastic bin bags instead of being put in bins?
Where I reside, if any of the rubbish bin lids does not close the bin men have instructions not to lift the bins and on no account will they uplift plastic bin bags.
Why does St Andrews seem to be different from, probably, the rest of Fife?
Why is there one rule for Fife and one rule for St Andrews when the policy should be the same for all?
Rubbish, particularly foodstuffs, should be in bins so the gulls can’t get to it.
Do this, and everyone will probably be surprised to see the seagulls returning to the sea, or certainly moving away from the centre of St Andrews to look for their food.
W. R. Cargill.3 Crawford Park,Springfield.
A minimum age for MPs
Sir, – Can any one of today’s immature, politically correct, money-grabbing politicians give me just one reason why, or explain to me how, the death of 400 young soldiers has made the streets of the United Kingdom any safer?
The minimum age for being an MP should be 50 years, and then we can be governed, not by immaturity, but by men and women who had, at least, some experience of what life is all about.
Some of today’s MPs have been no further than a school or college before going into politics. Then we have them making decisions that are costing young men and women their lives on killing fields abroad while fighting in unwinnable wars.
Bring the troops home now. There are more than enough duties for them here keeping their own country safe from evil.
Bob Beveridge.Old Townhouse,Falkland.
Reason for mysterious lights in sky?
Sir, – When certain crystals, including some types of naturally occurring rock crystals, are crushed against each other then electrical charges are set up. This can take on the form of light and is called the piezoelectric effect.
Bearing in mind that the rocks in the general area of Comrie are of that very nature, and that both Comrie and Islay are known to be connected with active geological faults, I suggest that the electrical charges set up by the rocks below those places may be setting off charges of the reversepolarity in the sky above those areas.
This might result in some unusual lights being seen there.
It is believed that that is the reason behind strange lights that occur from time to time in some Welsh valleys.
Such light there is so strong at times that it is said that a newspaper can be read by it.
Archibald A. Lawrie.5 Church Wynd,Kingskettle.
No real surprise
Sir, – Re Monday’s article on the windfarm debate: Visit Scotland say they are not against the principle of windfarm development, but recommend that tourism concerns are taken into account by local planning authorities.
We should hardly be surprised since the Scottish Government’s stated aim is for mass windfarm development and VisitScotland is a government-funded body.
(Cllr) Ann Cowan.The Old Inn,Fowlis Wester, Crieff.
Tidal power
Sir, – A. A. Stewart (Letters, March 7) advocates wave power instead of wind believing they can, unlike wind, supply power 24 hours a day.
That is not the case. Waves are created by wind action on the surface of the sea no wind, no waves.
I believe the writer may have meant tidal power, generated by gravitational forces. Harnessing that would be a good option.
Mike Scott-Hayward.Chairman,UK Independence Party, Scotland.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.