If the Scottish Government is serious about expanding community energy then it must reform the planning system to give local voices real power, according to local constituency MSP Finlay Carson.
It must also stop treating regions like Dumfries and Galloway as “energy sacrifice zones” and redirect funding to genuine community-led projects instead of developer-driven schemes that gain only “tokenistic benefit funds.”
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP insisted Scottish Ministers must stop paying “lip service” to his constituents having recently approved a massive pylon route through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Scotland – ignoring both local objections and the reporter’s recommendation following a public inquiry that cost nearly £200,000.
He said: “That decision was a blatant disregard for local democracy.
“If we want a just transition, it must be one that listens to and respects the communities most affected.”
Speaking in a debate on expanding community-owned energy in Scotland, Mr Carson said that he supported the principle but it must be matched by practice.
He told MSPs: “In Dumfries and Galloway that is simply not happening. The Scottish Conservative amendment rightly states that community consent needs to be at the heart of energy production.
“Yet in my region, I don’t believe that principle has ever been taken seriously and it is still being routinely ignored.
“Since May 2022 30 wind farms, pylons and battery storage have been approved in Dumfries and Galloway by the Energy Consents Unit – many turbines over 150 metres, some exceeding 200 metres.
“These are not small-scale community-led projects. They are industrial-scale developments, often driven by external developers with little local accountability.”
The Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP highlighted the plight and immense pressure being placed on the planning system at Dumfries and Galloway Council that was being “overwhelmed” and often leads to delays and backlogs that prevent proper scrutiny.
Mr Carson explained: “Applications must be assessed strictly in order of receipt, regardless of scale or urgency – an approach that benefits developers, not communities.
“Worse still, Section 36 applications – for developments over 50MW – bypass local decision-making entirely.”
Public opposition is often widespread with community councils and residents submitting hundreds of objections, citing landscape degradation, wildlife disruption as well as cumulative visual impact.
Yet these concerns are too often dismissed without explanation. Even well-organised campaigns like Save Our Hills and Galloway Without Pylons struggle to be heard.
The constituency MSP has previously called for a moratorium on new wind-farm consents, pointing to data from NatureScot that shows southern Scotland has more proposed onshore wind developments than any other part of the country.
He continued: “According to the Scottish Government’s own figures, South West Scotland hosts 21 per cent of all onshore wind developments than any other part of the country.
“In March, the Energy Minister insisted his focus was on renewables – without offering any clarity on how much is too much for rural Scotland.
“We already have overcapacity in Galloway. There is no clear plan for when or where this will stop.”
Later Mr Carson challenged Emma Harper to answer if she thought there are too many wind farms in Dumfries and Galloway?
He said: “It's a very simple yes/no question.”