Former developer of Mount Lothian Wind Farm promises that they will resubmit for planning permission.

Wind Prospect Developments Limited and EDF Energy have vowed that they will reapply for planning permission for nine one hundred metre tall wind turbines, on land south of Penicuik, later this year.

The partnership withdrew their application “to allow more time for the preparation and submission of supplementary information in support of the project” not due to the vast number of objections, as previously believed. A decision on the controversial application was set for 28 May however the day before a public pre-determination meeting, they withdrew their application citing that they had not been able to provide “several statutory consultees” with answers to the specific questions they asked. Wind Prospects saw this as a fault of the council:

Midlothian Council declined to allow the applicant additional time to submit supplementary information in direct response to these questions.

Once the relevant information is procured the organisation intends to resubmit their application.

Karen Thorburn, a development manager for Wind Prospects, told us:

Prior to submitting our planning application, we consulted extensively with all statutory consultees. However, nothwithstanding these efforts, certain matters have been raised post-submission, which require a detailed response.

The Council’s timetable for taking a decision on the application would not have allowed us sufficient time to address these matters, therefore we have taken the decision to withdraw the application.

We intend to resubmit the planning application as soon as the necessary supplementary information has been prepared. We believe this will help to strengthen the application further and ensure the substantial benefits associated with this project can be fully realised.

Despite strong opposition from the public, and several statuary bodies, the developer still believes that their application will bring economical and social benefits to the town. The 20.7 MW wind farm could see billions donated to local organisations however this has to be offset against the environmental changes which will arise from the proposed nine turbines.