Fife Council plans to write to the Scottish Government asking for wind turbine development to be halted while it consults local communities on where to put them.

The area is swamped with applications for wind farms, which are eating up officers' time and often do not follow planning guidelines such as areas of search.

Leader Alex Rowley said energy developers have ignored the authority's supplementary planning guidelines on the siting of turbines, and he needs communities' views.

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The council has received an average of four to five applications a week for wind energy developments in recent years.

Mr Rowley said: "At the moment too many developers are simply being opportunistic with applications for areas that are not appropriate for wind turbines, which is taking up valuable planning time. Despite this, our teams are dealing with all applications professionally and as efficiently as possible, taking into consideration all the relevant policies and guidance as well as any objections that come our way. There are also often complex environmental appraisals to be considered as part of this work."

On Monday (June 25), the council's executive committee will consider a report from officers on planning policy for wind farm developments and discuss its next moves.

(NE)