Keep Wigtown Bay Natural

August 11, 2010 in Editorial, Related Interest

During the past week things have moved very fast in relation to the proposed windfarm development in Wigtown Bay. To that end a new website has been established at http://www.kwbn.org.uk.

We fully support the aims of the Keep Wigtown Bay Natural (KWBN) group, since development of a 90 turbine windfarm just a few kilometers from Rigg Bay will have a major impact on wildlife and amenity.

For the benefit of our many friends and followers we will continue to update this site with status information regarding the windfarm development but we also need to maintain our focus on the specific issues that affect wildlife and amenity conservation at Rigg Bay.

Tags: ,

Wigtown Bay windfarm — responding to the draft

August 10, 2010 in Editorial, Related Interest

Please go to: http://www.kwbn.org.uk/?p=23

Here we try to clarify the position relating to responses to the draft plan.

At a public meeting in Wigtown last Friday (August 6th), [Scottish Government] Marine Scotland outlined the processes underlying the formulation of the draft plan and the selection of Wigtown Bay as one of the short terms sites for offshore wind development in Scottish Territorial Waters.

The current consultation is the Scottish Government’s consultation for the Development Plan and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment for Offshore Wind in Scotland. It runs from 19 May until 16 August.

Significantly, this consultation only became public knowledge at the beginning of last week. Why? Because the start of the consultation was announced at the All Energy Conference in Aberdeen on 19 May and on the Scottish Government website. And no where else.

Unsurprisingly, the first request at last Friday’s meeting was for an extension of the 16 August deadline for responses to the draft plan. After some discussion and a [unanimous] vote it was agreed that the deadline would be extended by 16 weeks.

Despite the agreed extension, if you intend to respond we strongly advise that you email offshorewindconsultation and tell them that you will be responding. Do this before 16 August and also request a return receipt when sending your email by way of acknowledgement.

Before responding we also advise visiting http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/05/14155137/1. On that page you will see a link to a Respondent Information Form. If responding by mail we recommend that you print a copy of this form and include it with your response. If you intend to respond by email it’s a good idea to incorporate the information requested on this form in your email. (You can of course include a scanned copy of the completed form as an email attachment. SG has not provided a means for submitting this form electronically.)

Wigtown Bay windfarm development

August 4, 2010 in Editorial, Related Interest

Marine Scotland (Scottish Government in all but name) together with Dong Energy (a Danish company) are planning to build a large near shore windfarm in Wigtown Bay. The projected output for the installation would require 90 massive turbines to be erected. There is no doubt that this will have a severe impact on the scenery of the Garlieston area, obstructing some of our best views in many directions. The turbines will be highly visible from Rigg Bay.

If you are opposed to such a development please sign the online petition. (Note: the main Petition link at the top of this page relates to the Rigg Bay Local Nature Reserve proposal. To access the windfarm petition please use the link in this paragraph.)

Location of proposed Wigtown Bay windfarm

Location of proposed Wigtown Bay windfarm

Species list almost complete

March 1, 2010 in Editorial

March 1st and we are pleased to announce that work on a floral species list for Rigg Bay is almost complete. There is a bewildering array of plant species around the bay, some quite rare.

How many do you know by sight? Over time we hope to add as many photos as possible but with such an extensive list you will appreciate that’s quite a task.

Local Wildlife Site second vote

October 7, 2009 in Editorial

As the season changes from summer to autumn, time for a brief update on recent events.

Following a presentation from Peter Norman, Dumfries and Galloway’s Biodiversity officer, at a recent Garlieston Community Council (GCC) meeting, the GCC was again asked to vote on whether or not they supported some form of wildlife site designation around Rigg Bay.

While this may sound a bit like the second Irish vote on the Lisbon Treaty there were good grounds for further consultation. Some local residents were troubled that a designation could lead to access restrictions around Rigg Bay. Peter Norman stated that even if hitherto undiscovered rare plant or animal species were to be discovered it would have no effect whatsoever on existing access provisions.

Following Peter’s presentation GCC again voted in favour of a designation. In the meantime, nothing will happen without the involvement of both affected landowners and, to date, only one of the landowners has responded positively.

Tree felling update

July 7, 2009 in Editorial | No comments

The Galloway House Gardens trustees have been in touch and forwarded a copy of this letter from the Forestry Commission. This concerns the felling of the large standard trees in the arboretum (adjacent to Galloway House) and the widening of the tarmac road to the shore.

Consultation underway

June 1, 2009 in Editorial

Solway Heritage has written to the landowners between Garlieston and Cruggleton Cliffs and asked for permission to undertake an ecological survey of the woodland and coastline. If the level of biodiversity is found to be sufficient, they would propose a “Local Wildlife Site” designation, which merely highlights an area’s importance to wildlife and confers no restrictions on land use. It is an entirely voluntary scheme.

In praise of litter pickers (II)

May 18, 2009 in Editorial

We are pleased to report that the fish box full of rubbish pictured below was left at the main road collection point last week. Despite not being in a wheelie bin the rubbish was removed by council staff. Well done and thank you D&G!

We are informed that there will be another quad bike collection this weekend. So, if you are reading this blog and are minded to lift some rubbish during the week, please go ahead in the knowledge that it won’t be sitting for long.

Access and the LNR

May 13, 2009 in Editorial

Some people have been asking if a designation such as Local Nature Reserve (LNR) will lead to restrictions on public access. The short answer is: no, it won’t.

Our proposal relates to the extension southwards of the existing Wigtown Bay LNR. This would mean that the existing byelaws covering the Wigtown Bay LNR would apply. Section 2.(a) of the byelaws states: “Nothing in these byelaws shall interfere with the … exercise of any public right of way or right of navigation….”

The byelaws can be viewed in pdf format on the D&G Council website. (It’s a short read, they don’t cover two sides of A4.)

Community Council supports proposal

May 5, 2009 in Editorial

Garlieston Community Council has voted in favour of supporting the creation of a nature reserve along the coastline around Rigg Bay. The vote was unanimous.

« Older entries