Help On What To Say
We’ve provided three politically neutral but firm letter templates for you to choose from, depending on your preferred tone and style. Feel free to personalise them in any way that reflects your own views. Each template highlights the key inconsistency with the DGWLSS 2025 report and emphasises that our objection is rooted in the proposal being investor‑driven rather than policy‑led. Crucially, the letters do not oppose the aims of energy security or climate‑change mitigation; instead, they question the method being proposed to achieve those aims. With Scottish parliamentary elections approaching, remember that you will be voting for two MSPs — one for your constituency and one for the regional list. Please consider your choices carefully.
Template Letter 1
[Your Name]
[Address Line 1]
[Town/City]
[Postcode]
Date: –/–/—-
Subject: Position on Proposed Dalmacallan Windfarm
Dear [Candidate Name],
I am writing as a resident of the Moniaive / Glencairn area regarding the proposed Dalmacallan Windfarm development.
As you will know, Scotland’s transition to renewable energy is essential. However, the location and scale of renewable developments must be carefully considered to ensure they deliver genuine climate benefit while protecting communities and landscapes.
The Dalmacallan proposal raises several serious concerns.
First, the project is relatively small in energy terms. At approximately 115MW, its contribution is minor compared with modern offshore wind developments, which routinely generate over 1,000MW. Scotland already has far larger offshore projects such as Seagreen (1440MW) and others in development exceeding 2,500MW. Given the scale and efficiency of offshore generation, it is difficult to justify the industrialisation of valued rural landscapes for comparatively limited output.
Second, the visual and environmental impact on the Glencairn landscape would be substantial. Turbines approaching 200 metres in height, along with associated infrastructure and aviation warning lights, would fundamentally alter the character of an area valued for its natural beauty, dark skies and wildlife. For those who live nearby, this represents a significant and permanent change to the landscape in which they live.
Third, there are concerns that this proposal runs contrary to the guidance set out in the Dumfries & Galloway Wind Farm Landscape Sensitivity Study (DGWLSS 2025), which identifies areas where landscape sensitivity should limit or guide windfarm development. Approving developments that contradict such strategic guidance risks undermining the purpose of these studies and the credibility of planning policy.
Taken together, many residents feel that projects of this type risk prioritising investment returns over both landscape protection and meaningful climate impact.
With the upcoming Scottish Parliament election, many people locally are keen to understand where candidates stand on issues like this. I would therefore welcome your view on:
Whether you support the Dalmacallan proposal:
• Whether you believe developments of this type are appropriate for the Glencairn landscape
• How you intend to balance renewable energy expansion with protection of rural communities
This issue is of great importance to many people in the area, and I would appreciate hearing your position.
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
[Address / Postcode]
Template Letter 2 - More direct in applying political pressure:
[Your Name]
[Address Line 1]
[Town/City]
[Postcode]
Date: –/–/—-
Subject: Your Position on the Proposed Dalmacallan Windfarm
Dear [Candidate Name],
I am writing as a voter in the Moniaive / Glencairn area to ask for your position on the proposed Dalmacallan Windfarm development.
While Scotland’s move toward renewable energy is essential, the location and scale of developments must be sensible and proportionate. The proposed Dalmacallan scheme raises serious concerns for our community.
At around 115MW, the project is very small compared with modern offshore wind developments that generate well over 1,000MW. Offshore wind farms such as Seagreen already produce over 1440MW, and projects currently under construction are larger still. Against that backdrop, it is difficult to justify the permanent industrialisation of a valued rural landscape for such a relatively limited energy contribution.
The proposed turbines — approaching 200 metres in height — would dominate the surrounding hills, introduce aviation warning lights throughout the night, and significantly alter the character of the Glencairn landscape. For people who live nearby, this represents a long-term degradation of the environment in which they live.
There is also concern that the development appears inconsistent with the findings of the Dumfries & Galloway Wind Farm Landscape Sensitivity Study (DGWLSS 2025), which was intended to guide windfarm development away from landscapes identified as sensitive.
Many residents feel that schemes of this nature risk prioritising investor returns over both landscape protection and meaningful climate impact.
With the Scottish Parliament election approaching, this issue matters greatly to local voters. I would therefore welcome your clear position on this proposal and how you intend to represent the interests of communities like ours when renewable energy developments are considered.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
[Address / Postcode]
Template Letter 3 - Short and punchy:
[Your Name]
[Address Line 1]
[Town/City]
[Postcode]
Date: –/–/—-
Dear [MSP]
I am a voter in the Moniaive / Glencairn area and would like to know your position on the proposed Dalmacallan Windfarm.
The project would introduce turbines close to 200 metres in height into the local landscape, with significant visual impact and night-time aviation lighting.
Yet the scheme would produce only 115MW, which is very small compared with modern offshore wind developments generating well over 1,000MW. Many residents therefore question whether the landscape impact and disruption to local communities can be justified.
There are also concerns that the proposal conflicts with recommendations in the Dumfries & Galloway Wind Farm Landscape Sensitivity Study (DGWLSS 2025).
As a local voter ahead of the upcoming election, I would appreciate hearing:
1. Whether you support this development?
2. How you believe developments like this should be balanced against protection of rural landscapes and communities?
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
Kind regards,
[Name]
[Postcode]
How the Scottish Parliament Voting System Works
In Scottish Parliament elections, every voter gets two votes on their ballot paper.
1. The Constituency Vote
Your first vote is for a local constituency candidate.
This works like a traditional UK election — the candidate with the most votes wins the seat and becomes your local MSP.
Scotland is divided into 73 constituencies, each electing one MSP.
2. The Regional “List” Vote
Your second vote is for a political party (or an individual candidate) in a larger regional list.
Scotland is divided into 8 regions, and each region elects 7 additional MSPs. These seats are allocated to parties to help make the overall result more proportional to how people voted across the region.
This system is called the Additional Member System.
Why There Are Two Votes
The system is designed to balance two things:
- Having a local representative for your area
- Making the overall parliament more proportional to the votes people cast
If a party wins many constituency seats in a region, it usually receives fewer regional list seats, while parties with fewer constituency wins may receive more list seats.
Using Your Two Votes
Because the two votes work in different ways, some voters choose to use them to express different preferences.
For example, a voter might:
- Support a local candidate they know or trust with their constituency vote
- Support a different party’s wider policies with their regional list vote
Others may simply vote for the same party twice.
Both approaches are completely valid — the system allows voters to reflect different priorities with their two votes.