LOCAL communities around Little Raith wind farm have reacted with “anger and disgust” at the “breath-taking arrogance” of Kennedy Renewables’ application to add another six turbines to the nine that are already operational, according to James Glen, who runs the community website Loch of Shining Waters.

A poll on the website showed 83% (307 votes) against the Little Raith extension plan, which last week was lodged with Fife Council Mr Glen said, “Kennedy Renewables know from their community consultations that locals absolutely do not want any more industrial turbines near their communities. The existing wind farm is already too much, with its noise and shadow flicker emissions causing increasing nuisance and health problems for local residents.

“This is why Little Raith has been included in a Scottish Government study into Scotland’s ten most problematic wind farms and it’s why Fife Council has said the area has enough industrial turbines.” Mr Glen attacked the “unbridled greed of Kennedy Renewables and landowner the Wemyss Estate”. He said Little Raith was “a licence to rob consumers”. Between April 2013 and May 2014, the wind farm’s income exceeded £6 million, with over £3 million in subsidy.

“From over £6 million annually, Kennedy Renewables have been “generously” giving £49k per annum back to us while we are forced to pay them over £3 million in subsidy via our leccy bills,” he added.

“This is much less than the industry standard for community benefit which at £5000 per megawatt means the community should be getting £124,000 pa.

“Local councillors like Peter Lockhart and Mark Hood might think this is a great deal but their constituents do not and will remember their partisan support for Kennedy Renewables since they blew into town. £49,000 would not pay for their managing director’s runabout!” The Lochgelly Community Council secretary went on, “The Education & Visitor Centre is a sick joke. Anyone who visits the site will run the risk of suffering the health impacts of noise and vibration which have been forced on local residents.” Mr Glen has been secretary of Lochgelly Community Council for some time which he claims is the only community council in the area Kennedy Renewables has not visited. He added, “Lochgelly has suffered far more negative impacts from Little Raith than Cowdenbeath, and after making a public promise to address individual’s concerns, Johnny Kennedy has given us a wide berth”.

Linda Holt, spokesperson for national anti-wind farm campaign group Scotland Against Spin, commented, “We’re seeing more and more elaborate community benefit packages from wind developers.

“The reason is always the same: to buy support, or silence objections, for a wind farm which for very good reasons local people don’t want. Sometimes such deals are secret; sometimes they are public ​like this one, because Kennedy Renewables wants to exploit them for maximum positive publicity.

“Although technically not illegal, promising people money before a controversial application is decided is unethical. It splits communities. Anyone who might want to oppose the wind farm can be made to feel they are depriving some worthy local group of much-needed cash.

“Situations like this make it much harder for people to decide on an application on purely planning grounds, which is of course what the developer wants, especially if the planning grounds for a wind farm like this one are so weak. There is one reason and one reason only why Kennedy Renewables is giving Fife College and Cowdenbeath FC money: to discourage local people from objecting.

“Targetting children’s sport and education in such PR campaigns for unwanted wind farms marks a new low.

“If Kennedy Renewables cared about the local community, it would respect the overwhelming local feeling against the wind farm and cancel its application. If it cared one jot about the health and welfare of local children, it would not put a huge industrial development anywhere near where they live and play”.

She concluded, “However, it is dressed up, community benefit in the hands of wind developers is basically blood money. It frequently wrongfoots politicians,​divides communities and creates a legacy of ​conflict and ​bitterness for next-to-no lasting gain.”