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Sian McKinnon told BBC Scotland News there was “no logic” to the plans at Blair Hill
Councillors have agreed to oppose a wind farm in the Galloway Hills – triggering a public inquiry into the plans.
Opponents of the 14-turbine Blair Hill project near Newton Stewart gathered outside Dumfries and Galloway Council offices to highlight their concerns.
Planning committee councillors agreed to object to the plans due to concerns over the impact on a regional scenic area (RSA).
Developer RES said it was disappointed the local authority had opposed what it described as a “well-designed project”.
Robert Burton said the nearest turbines would be close to his parents’ home
Protesters from the Hands Off Our Hills group gathered outside the council offices in Dumfries before the development was discussed to raise their concerns about the proposal.
Robert Burton grew up in a house close to the development site where his parents – both in their 70s – still live.
He said their world had “fallen apart”.
“The nearest turbines are only one kilometre from the house and more worrying is the access road to the site,” he said.
“It is a couple of hundred metres away from the back of the house and very close to the private water supply as well.”
Protesters gathered outside council headquarters to make their feelings known
Another protester, Sian McKinnon, told BBC Scotland News she believed the scheme was unnecessary.
“We have enough renewable energy in Scotland – we overproduce,” she said.
“So this is about exporting energy to England. This is not helping us and our communities, it is not helping us in our approach to net zero.
“It doesn’t make sense, there is no logic to this – it is about making money for companies.”
Developers said the project could generate enough electricity to meet the annual needs of more than 115,000 homes.
They added that it could save more than eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over its operational life as well as providing a community benefits package of nearly £25m.
However, councillors decided to follow officer recommendations and oppose the plans, which now means they will go to public inquiry.
They had concerns about the impact on a scenic area, how lighting might affect the Galloway Dark Sky Park and the effect on a “highly valued upland landscape”.
Sarah McArthur, development project manager at RES, said: “Blair Hill is a well-designed project, which carefully considers the local landscape and environment.
“Naturally we’re disappointed that an objection has been raised, particularly when Blair Hill has the potential to deliver discounted electricity for local residents, an £87m boost to the economy and up to £55m in business rates to support vital local services.”
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GSK’s outgoing chief executive, Emma Walmsley, has said Britain will struggle to be a “life sciences superpower” unless it overhauls drug pricing.
As ministers draw up proposals to increase the amount the NHS spends on new medicines by up to 25%, Walmsley said she was “hopeful and ambitious” that the standoff with the pharma industry could be resolved.
According to the Academy of Medical Sciences, the government’s drug pricing announcement could come by the end of this week.
Walmsley, who will hand over the top job to Luke Miels, currently GSK’s chief commercial officer, at the end of the year, said: “What everyone is putting their energy into, hopefully resolving, is how we make sure this country creates the right commercial environment.
“Without that, it’s going to be very difficult to be able to be a leading life sciences superpower, which is what we want … and we are not going to secure something else we all want, which is patient access to innovation.”
A potential deal between industry and government is tied up with negotiations with Donald Trump’s administration over drug pricing, after the US president put pressure on companies to lower their prices – historically much higher than elsewhere – and invest in the US, or face trade tariffs.
Walmsley noted that the NHS spends less than 10% of its budget on medicines, a lower figure than in the past. Her remarks came a day after the science minister, Patrick Vallance, said that “some degree of price increase is inevitable”.
He told MPs on the science committee: “For brand new, innovative medicines it’s likely there will be some price increase.”
A price rise will require additional funding for the NHS at a time when Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, faces tough decisions to balance the books, and is likely to breach Labour’s election promises not to raise one of the big three taxes of VAT, income tax and national insurance.
“We’ve discussed the fact that if there’s a rise in price for innovative medicines, that comes with a cost load, and that needs to be met,” Lord Vallance said.
The NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, representing trusts and other health organisations, said this week that the cost of covering redundancies and strikes, along with paying more for medicines, was not included in the budget and would need extra cash from the chancellor.
While GSK is investing $30bn in US manufacturing and research, Walmsley reaffirmed the company’s support of the UK’s life sciences strategy and its commitment to Britain. This is in contrast with other pharmaceutical groups that have scrapped or paused investments in the UK, including MSD, known as Merck in the US, and its British rival AstraZeneca.
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GSK raised its 2025 sales and profit forecasts, driven by double-digit growth in respiratory, inflammation and immunology, oncology and HIV treatments. Shares in GSK jumped by almost 6%, making it one of the biggest risers on the FTSE 100.
The company reported a pre-tax profit of £2.5bn for the third quarter, compared with £64m a year earlier, which reflected the $2.2bn (about £1.7bn) settlement of US court cases over claims that its Zantac drug caused cancer. GSK denies that the drug caused cancer.
Vaccine sales rose by 2% to £2.7bn in the quarter to 30 September, mainly driven by sales outside the US. In the US, GSK reported a 15% drop in sales of its shingles vaccine, Shingrix.
Vaccination rates in the US have slowed since Robert Kennedy Jr, an anti-vaxxer, became health secretary. He has cut funding for research and ousted the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Walmsley said: “We remain very cautious about the environment in the US.”
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Continuing their journey, friends will discover a presentation room, allowing for in-depth introductions to Roger Dubuis’ timepiece collections. This includes many of the Maison’s most recent novelties, such as the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar and the Knights of the Round Table Merlin The Enchanter, as well as the original watches of Mr. Roger Dubuis, that will be on display for a limited time.
Throughout the year, the Lounge will offer friends of the Maison special services, exclusive access to limited editions, and will regularly transform to celebrate its many collaborations and launches, from motorsport through to art, helping to enliven the high watchmaking that is distinctive to the Maison.
Details
Open from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm, and Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00pm. To plan your visit, book an appointment on Roger Dubuis website or call: +41 22 321 28 28.
About Roger Dubuis
Representing an unexpected blend of distinctive character and horological expertise, Roger Dubuis has been at the forefront of expressive watchmaking since 1995. Sustained by its fully-integrated manufacture, where every caliber is made in-house, Roger Dubuis commits to performance and strives for excellence.
Rewarded by the Poinçon de Genève certification, their traditional yet contemporary masterpieces are a demonstration of radical skill and ancestral craftmanship, which the Maison reinterprets year after year with fervid creativity and innovative materials. With this avant-garde and daring energy, Roger Dubuis is bringing its collections to an exclusive circle of clients and friends.
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