IN your 2nd April report on the West Planning Committee’s approval for a 50 metre wind turbine at Cuddyhouse Road, near Kingseat, you quote Councillor Peter Lockhart’s concern about the area becoming “surrounded” by them. The councillor is not alone in his concern.

Those of us who live in Kelty, Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly and Benarty, are very aware of how many turbines are appearing on Fife’s horizons, in every direction.

Pretty close to Kelty lots of turbines are already operating. Still more are at different stages in the planning process. At Mossmoran, nine turbines of 125 meters in height are already in place with a further six, of 126.5 metres, previously rejected, under appeal. There are four of 100 metres tall at Westfield, by Kinglassie. Cowdenbeath will see another two, standing 100 metres high, just west of the Mossmorran plant, across the Burntisland Road.

At Goat Hill Quarry, near Crossgates, stands another at 100 metres. Some people may have noticed the construction going on near the roundabout south of Mossmorran to accommodate another turbine of 87 metres up on the hill.

Even more turbines presently await decisions as to whether they will be approved to go ahead. These include 11 turbines of 115 metres at Blairadam Forest, Kelty; one of 45.5 metres at Halbeath Park and Ride, and two of 131 metres at junction 2A on the M90, opposite the Odeon Cinema.

The village of Auchtertool, should other plans be approved, will be virtually surrounded by turbines. It is almost there already with approved turbines and many more are still at the planning stage. Fife Council recognises that the area is becoming saturated and “limited by cumulative impact” – or, for the layman, too many already.

On 19th March, under the headline, “Meadows Money Spinner”, you reported that, “Councillors are committed to getting the message out to the whole of Scotland and beyond that Lochore Meadows Country Park is a place worth visiting, after hearing that the facility could be a money spinner for the area.” It would have come as no surprise to those of us who love the Meadows, that 600,000 visitors enjoyed the park in 2013.

If AMEC Foster Wheeler’s plans to erect six turbines up to 100 metres to blade tip, close to the Meadows, between Kelty, Lochgelly and Glencraig, are approved, how many will wish to return, with towering turbines so close by?

It seems so ironic that having transformed the land that once lay despoiled by bings into a tranquil and beautiful local treasure, it might once again be turned in to an industrial site.

TOM BAIN, Kelty.