Local MSP Highlights Boyndie Windfarm At Party Conference

Banffshire MSP Stewart Stevenson told the SNP’s Annual Conference in Perth last week of the Boyndie Windfarm Co-operative and held it up as an example of good practice in windfarm developments.

The MSP was speaking during a debate on ‘Community Benefit from Windfarms’. Mr Stevenson told assembled delagates:

“Many communities are quite understandably apprehensive when a windfarm is mooted in their vicinity. Generally speaking, offshore windpower is far preferable to vast acres of turbines covering our hills because it is so much more efficient.

“However, there is certainly a place for smaller developments such as that at Boyndie and I believe it is a model of how local communities should be engaged and involved in the process right from the very start. Often, the alternative developments which may take place on brownfield sites such as Boyndie ‘Drome are much less attractive.

“The empowerment of the local community both in terms of the co-operative and the level of consultation and co-operation during the planning phase was handled extremely sensitively and ensured that the community felt a part of the development from day one.”