{"id":2963,"date":"2025-07-06T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-06T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/?p=2963"},"modified":"2026-01-04T16:42:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T16:42:54","slug":"lairdmannoch-energy-park-proposal-sparks-widespread-opposition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/2025\/07\/06\/lairdmannoch-energy-park-proposal-sparks-widespread-opposition\/","title":{"rendered":"Lairdmannoch Energy Park Proposal Sparks Widespread Opposition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p id=\"block-f4d1b621-99ac-4378-b44b-27aab7590154\"><strong>Dumfries and Galloway<\/strong> \u2014 A major planning application for the <strong>Lairdmannoch Energy Park<\/strong> (ECU00004900) has triggered serious concern across communities near <strong>Laurieston, Glengap, Ringford, and Gatehouse of Fleet<\/strong>. The proposal includes <strong>nine wind turbines<\/strong>, each up to <strong>180 metres tall<\/strong>, a large-scale <strong>Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)<\/strong>, and an expansive <strong>solar array<\/strong>, all to be constructed across carbon-rich peatland, watercourses, and ecologically sensitive upland terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-803feb9a-7f67-43d6-ba69-0bf11c9580d5\">Local residents, environmental groups, and tourism advocates argue that the project would cause <strong>irreversible environmental damage<\/strong>, compromise <strong>public safety<\/strong>, and degrade the area\u2019s <strong>natural heritage and night skies<\/strong>. The proposal is considered non-compliant with several national and regional planning policies, including <strong>National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)<\/strong> and the <strong>Dumfries and Galloway Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" id=\"block-005371e4-cdfe-455e-b9c8-33984ac92be2\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-7b35824a-19aa-44e4-9976-d25bf247845c\">Glengap Residents Lead Grassroots Resistance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-6da984d9-4705-4489-8a90-98b6bad0411e\">The <strong>Glengap Community Group<\/strong> has taken a leading role in resisting the development, working non-stop to organise local meetings, scrutinise environmental reports, and help residents lodge formal objections. Their efforts have helped uncover critical omissions in the Environmental Impact Assessment and highlight the serious risks posed to the local area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-3b8c4cfd-754d-4a89-844e-110ee867c18c\">\u201cWe support renewable energy done the right way,\u201d said a local Glengap resident. \u201cBut this development is in the wrong place, poses real safety risks, and ignores the communities it impacts most. We deserve better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-7ad8f295-3f05-4881-aa69-4431733b0827\">The group encourages everyone \u2014 from locals to regular visitors \u2014 to use the free objection tool hosted by ObjectNow at:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lairdmannoch.object.now.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/lairdmannoch.object.now.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" id=\"block-ae68e1ca-61cd-4f91-b06e-debdbd08d899\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-d5013b60-afaa-4f04-a975-91bc8b9adafe\">What\u2019s Being Proposed?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"block-7a22e4b2-b87e-4713-8595-3b0003ab21ac\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>9 wind turbines<\/strong> (180m tip height)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Large-scale <strong>BESS<\/strong> with no detailed firewater containment plan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>solar installation<\/strong> across peatland and upland habitat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Construction of substations, access tracks, and electrical infrastructure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-4f8ce523-8847-4bdb-b915-c4b4f29a32a7\">The site sits near sensitive watercourses, deep peat deposits, and within the buffer zone of the <strong>Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park<\/strong>, raising concerns about pollution, light intrusion, and irreversible ecological harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" id=\"block-5f203302-d249-4a7e-a9ed-110740026563\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-923f6ba0-635c-4e34-b03a-7c8eb8f908e7\">Why Object?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-18369eb4-b7da-4414-a5cf-2816e3993d69\">\ud83d\udfeb Peatland Destruction and Carbon Loss<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-790bca2f-d5d8-4735-bb16-3422d897ec92\">The development will excavate and drain deep peat \u2014 a key natural carbon sink. This violates <strong>NPF4 Policy 5(a)<\/strong>, which only allows peatland disturbance under exceptional, nationally justified circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-bc522175-e870-470d-95f6-a8ddfdf89e0d\">\ud83d\udd25 Public Safety and Fire Risk<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-72e9903e-41a8-4854-8ff2-c8de3eaa24f6\">The proposed BESS poses risks of thermal runaway and toxic gas release. Dumfries and Galloway lacks the resources to handle such emergencies, breaching <strong>Policy 11(d)<\/strong> and COMAH safety thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-64f11a26-4ba0-4e56-8a77-cdebcda27fa5\">\ud83e\udd89 Wildlife and Habitat Loss<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-4e2d13d9-f039-49d7-b0bb-0692fc2eefd0\">Protected species like curlew, hen harrier, and short-eared owl are known to inhabit the site. The ornithology studies are incomplete, and cumulative impacts are not assessed \u2014 conflicting with <strong>Policy 3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-97bd002c-c55c-456d-bd09-dc702a8dc7d6\">\ud83c\udf0c Dark Sky Degradation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-e91504be-29d0-4432-adb2-292cebd0cc27\">Lighting from turbines, BESS compounds, and substations will intrude on one of Europe\u2019s most celebrated stargazing areas. The absence of a lighting assessment violates <strong>Policy 14<\/strong> and threatens local astro-tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-7a19655b-1e81-43ee-8fbf-a6bfe42f1a31\">\ud83d\udca7 Risk to Public Water Supplies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-b7aa6843-260d-48d7-aeda-1c38e69acb71\">No detailed hydrological modelling was undertaken after the access route was changed, despite this affecting a drinking water catchment. This contradicts <strong>Policy 22<\/strong> and raises concerns under the Water Framework Directive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-253c4bd5-9436-44f2-a9ee-84b03a5d9ee4\">\ud83e\uddcd Community Harm Without Guaranteed Benefit<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-0daf6fee-4912-4ae7-94aa-b318003b1f1c\">There are no binding commitments to local ownership or community benefit. Residents closest to the site may receive nothing, while suffering loss of amenity and long-term industrial disruption \u2014 a breach of <strong>LDP2 Policy OP1<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" id=\"block-d631545e-0999-448f-94ce-09cd6cd2a2b6\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-a8044a90-18f0-4dfa-8851-90b06db75f9f\">Who Can Object?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f4e5892f-2c2e-463c-9c70-4bc11851c92b\">Everyone \u2014 not just residents. If you <strong>live in, work in, own land in, holiday in, or care about this region<\/strong>, you are entitled to object. That includes tourists, photographers, conservationists, and second-home owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-737aab55-9dc7-427e-95a5-789f1c0d3257\">\ud83d\udce2 Submit your objection now:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lairdmannoch.object.now\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/lairdmannoch.object.now<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-3c85d05f-78d5-4c74-8de2-fe52b22bb32c\">\ud83d\udccc ECU Reference: <strong>ECU00004900<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-33eb7a76-bb42-441e-88a9-89ccb7b886f8\">It only takes a few minutes. The tool lets you choose which issues matter most to you and creates a full, legally appropriate objection letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" id=\"block-1a2de4e8-7401-4e5a-b168-ca4e0213016b\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-c655c074-1d1d-45db-bd1c-244403b3ca58\">Final Word<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-61c996ad-13e0-44d1-b886-de2cef23ad47\">The Lairdmannoch Energy Park is not a sensitive or sustainable renewable project. It is a high-impact industrial scheme placed in a fragile upland environment, without sufficient safeguards, consent, or planning justification. The residents of <strong>Glengap<\/strong>, <strong>Laurieston<\/strong>, <strong>Gatehouse of Fleet<\/strong>, and surrounding areas have made their concerns clear \u2014 and now they\u2019re asking for wider public support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-b4622ca8-6f68-42f2-a04a-3842dabb0dd5\">If we want a just transition to net zero, it must include proper community engagement, legal compliance, and respect for the landscape. Lairdmannoch fails on all three counts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-96fcba5c-6cd8-43c5-8d52-5ffc0d861805\">\u270d\ufe0f Add your name to the growing list of voices saying <strong>no<\/strong> to this development, you have until the 4th Feb 2026 to officially submit your objection:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-5a3b4539-6d4a-4e78-99d0-a7a16a9491d0\"><br>\ud83d\udd17 <a href=\"https:\/\/lairdmannoch.object.now\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/lairdmannoch.object.now<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dumfries and Galloway \u2014 A major planning application for the Lairdmannoch Energy Park (ECU00004900) has triggered serious concern across communities near Laurieston, Glengap, Ringford, and Gatehouse of Fleet. The proposal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61,66,63,65,62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bess","category-dumfries-and-galloway","category-ecu","category-solar-parks","category-wind-farms"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2963"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2964,"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2963\/revisions\/2964"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/object.now\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}