TWO Community councils disagree over the benefits of the South Kyle windfarm plan.

Patna Community Council have backed the plans to erect 50 wind turbines whilst Dalmellington Community Council remain staunchly against the proposal.

At a planning meeting last week, councillors agreed to the recommendations from council officers to object to the controversial plan from Vattenfall.

However, Alec Kirk of Patna Community Council, said: “We need jobs in the area and we need investment.

“The proposed windfarm won’t even be seen from Dalmellington.

“As far as we are concerned it will bring money in to the area. It will allow us to keep a lot of things in the village going rather than face closure.

“We back the proposals to go ahead with the turbines.” The people of Dalmellington have long campaigned to keep wind turbines away from the area.

Sharon Smith, of Dalmellington Community Council, said; “They don’t bring any benefits to the village and there will be more lorries in the area.

“Coal mining and opencasts employed thousands here, that’s gone now. We are all about tourism and preserving our area.” In last week’s Chronicle Vattenfall Senior Project Manager, Alison Daugherty, said that throughout the two year construction period and 25 year operation period, South Kyle would bring more than 150 local jobs.

We also reported that the Air Traffic control body NATS had lifted their objection.

The company also say that if the plan is not given the green light, the community will lose £21m in community investment over 25 years. They also claim local businesses would lose out.

In a statement this week, Ms Daugherty said: “South Kyle Wind Farm received a clean bill of health from specialist public organisations ahead of the East Ayrshire Council decision. Getting the backing of NATS was the last statutory objection to be lifted. We also believe that South Kyle has a lot of support in the region – particularly among local business and a number of community interests.

“Any delay damages prospects for the development and we are concerned that the potential economic benefits of the project were not given enough weight.” One member of the Dalmellington Community Council has questioned this, asking for how long and how many local people would be employed.

Whilst Dalmellington oppose the plans, both Patna Community Council and Dumfries and Galloway Council back the proposal.

The proposals have now been passed on to Ministers at Holyrood who will make a decision later in the year.