Planning Scotland's Seas: Sectoral Marine Plans for Offshore Wind, Wave and Tidal Energy in Scottish Waters. Consultation Analysis Report.

Appendix 5: Campaign Text Regarding OWSW2

• The proposed siting of the wind-farm would adversely affect views from the East Stewartry Coast National Scenic Area, an area recognized nationally and internationally for its outstanding scenery. The area includes beaches and coastal paths of local' and national importance, and the uninterrupted views from the coast give the area a unique character which must-be preserved in the interests of not only local amenity but of tourism, which makes a significant contribution to the local economy.
• The proposed site adjoins the existing 60 turbine site at Robin Rigg. This development cannot be considered in isolation as the cumulative effect of the existing turbines and those proposed in the Plan would have a highly detrimental effect on the visual amenity of the Colvend coast, resulting in a "wall" of turbines running across the entire Solway coastal panorama of the Lake District, Cumbria and the Irish Sea.
• The proposed site is in the vicinity of two Special Areas of Conservation, a Special

Protection Area, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and several Important Bird Areas. A range of other environmental concerns associated with Marine Geology and Coastal Processes have also been identified.

• Furthermore, the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy in Scottish Territorial Waters published in 2011 stated that this site specifically presented significant problems for the development of offshore wind. The significant strategic issues being public acceptability, environmental and visual impact.
• In addition, socio-economic assessment suggested that there was little or no potential for regional economic benefit, and indeed that there was a possibility of adverse economic impacts. Both the relevant Planning Authority and local consultees expressed real and sustained opposition to ... any form of offshore wind development within the Solway.
• As a result, the Scottish Ministers then decided that " the Solway Firth and Wigtown Bay sites are unsuitable for the development of offshore wind and should not be progressed .... ". Nothing in the present plan would appear to mitigate the issues previously identified, and the Inner Solway Firth site ( OWSW2) should therefore be removed from the plan.