Community Consultation takes on a new look.
****
Remember all those glowing stories about wind power outfits being welcomed into rural communities with open arms? You know, tales about how farmers are dying to have turbines lined up all over their properties? How locals can’t wait to pick up some of the thousands of permanent, high paying jobs on offer? How developers are viewed with the kind of reverence reserved for Royalty?
No?
We’ve forgotten them too.
If such a place ever existed? – it was probably just a case of one too many Single Malts, causing the usual senses to take an unscheduled break.
After years of being lied to, bullied, berated and treated like fools (at best) and “road-kill” (at worst), for most, the ‘gloss’ comprising wind industry PR efforts to ‘win hearts and minds’ has well and truly worn off.
These days, the communities aren’t so gullible; they aren’t so welcoming; and they aren’t willing to take it lying down. Despite having the skills of the best spin doctors in the business at its disposal, it’s “outrage” that’s become the word synonymous with the wind industry, wherever it goes. In short, rural communities have had enough – and they’re fighting back, by fair means and foul:
Angry Wind Farm Victims Pull the Trigger: Turbines Shot-Up in Montana and Victoria
Having lost the battle to ‘shape the debate’ – with soothing words about listening to ‘community concerns’ – wind power outfits are sending in the muscle, instead. Here’s a story from the Highlands on how one wind power outfit’s “Fight Club” inspired PR effort ended.
Drama at Highland windfarm event as man is allegedly assaulted by security staff
The Press and Journal
Jamie McKenzie
24 June 2015
Police were called to a north windfarm exhibition yesterday after a member of the public claimed he was assaulted by security staff brought in to prevent trouble.
The drama unfolded outside Kiltarlity Village Hall, where plans for a 10-turbine scheme went on display for the first time.
Druim Ba Sustainable Energy Ltd (DBSE Ltd) wants to build the devices on the nearby Blairmore Estate.
It is the company’s second attempt to build a windfarm in the area after previous plans were rejected by the Scottish Government in 2013.
People attending the exhibition were shocked to find four employees from a local firm, Castle Security, had been drafted in for one-day event.
And just a few minutes after the display opened, one visitor complained that he had been involved in an altercation with a member of the team.
Cosmo MacKenzie, of Fanblair, Kiltarlity, said the man was “not pleased” and tried to stop him going into the hall.
He claimed he was then shoved as he tried to enter a second and third time.
“I called the police,” he said.
“It’s a distressing way to start the event. I am going in the door and the first thing I come to are security guards preventing people from coming into public property.”
Mr MacKenzie was allowed inside to view the plans after speaking to a security supervisor.
Two police officers arrived a short time later and spent 45 minutes taking statements from him and the staff at the centre of the allegations.
The security workers said they were there to provide “a bit of reassurance and to make people feel more comfortable” after problems at a consultation event for the previous application.
DSBE representatives at the event refused to comment on the windfarm plans or the security presence.
The company’s previous proposals – for 23 turbines – sparked outrage locally and prompted a huge campaign against the development.
Some of those protesters attended the exhibition yesterday.
The new plans involve reducing the size of the windfarm and cutting the height of turbines from 490ft to 415ft.
After viewing the designs, opponents sat at a table and chairs outside the hall and asked others to sign a petition against the development.
Denise Davis, who is leading the local campaign against the scheme, said: “We have been to dozens of exhibitions and have never seen security before.
“The proposal was refused locally by Highland Council and the Scottish Government. How much more of a message do they (DSBE) need? This new proposal is not really an improvement and they are continuing to use old noise monitoring data.”
Fellow campaigner Lyndsey Ward said: “There are more security guards here than there are members of staff inside.
“This is a ridiculous proposal and the community is fully against it.”
The Press and Journal
It’ll take more than just a little muscle to move these boys.
About stopthesethings
STOP THESE THINGS 
It is the same con-job the world over. First get the local council on side with promises of endless ‘green’ jobs and sustainable money from the trough, secretly sign up potential hosts, then have bogus community consultation, complete with ‘crowd controllers’, before spearing in giant acoustic polluting fans into predetermined locations whilst driving locals into a sleep deprived hell. And all for little if any carbon benefit.
But Scotland and the rest of the world are waking up to the scam. The lie is no longer hidden. Thanks STT!
NO one has mentioned the problems at a previous consultation. A couple of protesters unfurled a couple of small banners in the hall as a silent protest. It was neither threatening nor abusive. After a few minutes they left. Their objection was the lack of advertising of the Consultation event. If that justified four security heavies they must realise how badly they have misjudged the local feeling and be feared of the reaction. Their presentation was one of the worst I have ever seen.
The windweasel grubs will be very cranky before it is all finished. They may have to fetch out the tobacco guru to smooth things over, ha ha.
Another great post, STT. Our friends at Druim Ba Say No will be delighted that news of DBSE’s own goal has reached Australia. When will these developers learn that when the community says no, it means no? Particularly when the Scottish Government has also said no in the previous application for this lovely area of Scotland.
What a perfectly delicious own goal by some of the most weasely weasels we have ever met. Lol
The only message the wind turbine industry is ‘thumping home’ is the infrasound and low frequency noise emanating insidiously from their enourmous swirling industrial machines. Good on the Scots for standing up to these Wind bullies!
Reblogged this on ajmarciniak and commented:
**** Remember all those glowing stories about wind power outfits being welcomed into rural communities with open arms? You know, tales about how farmers are dying to have turbines lined up all over their properties? How locals can’t wait to pick up some of the thousands of permanent, high paying jobs on offer? How developers are viewed with the kind of reverence… [ 690 more words. ]
https://stopthesethings.com/…/scots-fight-back-as-wind-power…