A Labour MP has accused the Scottish government of ignoring the opinions of local people over plans to build more windfarms.

Galloway MP Russell Brown said he handed over a petition to Energy Minister Fergus Ewing which showed 2000 signatures in opposition to the erection of more wind turbines in the local area.

The news came following Holyrood’s decision to approve two new windfarm developments that had been rejected by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Mr Brown said: "With 2000 signatures, my petition clearly has the Scottish government rattled. During our meeting I left the minister in no doubt about the scale of the concern in Dumfries and Galloway about the number of wind turbines in our area.

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"However, I was deeply disappointed and frustrated that the minister is in denial and still does not accept there is a problem. Once again the SNP believes it knows best and local people in Dumfries and Galloway are simply ignored."

The MP added: "He couldn’t explain why the government overturned decisions by the council to reject applications for windfarms like Glenchamber, where both local council officers and councillors said it shouldn’t go ahead because of the adverse impact on our landscape. Instead he tried to pass the buck and say he wasn’t to blame. As the Scottish Energy Minister, he has to take responsibility for the govern­ment’s policies and the affect they are having on our area."

But a Scottish government spokesperson said: "The record shows that across the country, planning authorities continue to support the vast majority of Scottish government decisions on major windfarms. When developers choose to appeal decisions taken by planning authorities on smaller developments, in the great majority of cases the decisions of planning authorities have been upheld by the independent reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers."

(IT)