Tensions between Scottish National Tensions between Scottish National Policies for Onshore Wind Energy Policies for Onshore Wind Energy

and Local Dissatisfaction – Insights and Local Dissatisfaction – Insights from Regulation Theoryfrom Regulation Theory

Karen ParkhillKaren ParkhillDoctoral ResearcherDoctoral ResearcherSchool Of City and School Of City and Regional Planning,Regional Planning,

Glamorgan Building,Glamorgan Building,Cardiff University,Cardiff University,

Cardiff,Cardiff,CF10 3WACF10 3WA

0292087516902920875169parkhillk@cardiff.ac.ukparkhillk@cardiff.ac.uk

ContentsContents

The TheoryThe Theory

Introducing the Case Studies and Introducing the Case Studies and IntervieweesInterviewees

Constructions of RuralityConstructions of Rurality

Constructions of Wind FarmsConstructions of Wind Farms

Policy ‘Review’Policy ‘Review’

Regulating the RegulatorsRegulating the Regulators

BackgroundBackground

All information stems from doctoral research All information stems from doctoral research “The Social Regulation of the Rural “The Social Regulation of the Rural Environment: A Scottish Case Study”Environment: A Scottish Case Study” How is the rural environment regulated by state How is the rural environment regulated by state

agencies at a national and local spatial level?agencies at a national and local spatial level? What is the extent and nature of non-What is the extent and nature of non-

governmental environmental organisation governmental environmental organisation activities in rural areas and in what ways do these activities in rural areas and in what ways do these activities connect with the above state systems of activities connect with the above state systems of regulation?regulation?

How is the environment understood, captured and How is the environment understood, captured and contested by different social groups within contested by different social groups within particular rural spaces?particular rural spaces?

The TheoryThe Theory

Regulation TheoryRegulation Theory What is it?What is it? How can it be useful?How can it be useful? How am I using it?How am I using it?

•Economic adjustments

Accumulation regime•Dynamic compatibility between production,

income distribution and the generation of

demand

Mode of régulation•Channelling of individual and collective behaviour

in terms of an accumulation regime•Reproduction of institutional forms

Institutional forms•Monetary regime

•Wage-labour nexus•Form of competition•Nature of the state

•Insertion in the international regime

•Social dynamic

Slow evolution of institional forms, ‘minor crisis’

Coming into conflict with institutional forms, ‘structural crisis’ or major crisis

Figure 1: The Overall Regulatory Schema (from Boyer and Saillard, 2002).

Exposing Environmental Norms and Exposing Environmental Norms and Values: The role of space, place, rurality Values: The role of space, place, rurality

and environmental contestationand environmental contestation

How are environmental norms and values How are environmental norms and values manifested?manifested? The role of in place out of placeThe role of in place out of place The role of transgressionThe role of transgression

The Case StudiesThe Case Studies

Both developments are commercial developments above Both developments are commercial developments above 10MW10MWCase study 1: NEW (North East Wind Farm)Case study 1: NEW (North East Wind Farm)

Development on Local Landowners landDevelopment on Local Landowners land L.A. denied planning permission based on visual impactL.A. denied planning permission based on visual impact At AppealAt Appeal

Case study 2: BordersCase study 2: Borders Development on Forestry Commission LandDevelopment on Forestry Commission Land No decision as yet – Holding objection from M.O.D.No decision as yet – Holding objection from M.O.D.

Hint from L.A. permission would be denied unless two turbines Hint from L.A. permission would be denied unless two turbines removed due to visual intrusiveness on local conurbationremoved due to visual intrusiveness on local conurbation

The Interviewees:The Interviewees: Stakeholders: Formal ascribed, Self ascribed, Researcher Stakeholders: Formal ascribed, Self ascribed, Researcher

ascribed.ascribed. Interviews: Semi-structured in-depth (1-4 hours in length).Interviews: Semi-structured in-depth (1-4 hours in length).

[Re]constructions of Nature, [Re]constructions of Nature, Countryside and RuralityCountryside and Rurality

Intrinsic rurality (it Intrinsic rurality (it isis, official, perceived, it is , official, perceived, it is because it isn’t!)because it isn’t!) ““It’s green, Look! It’s rural” (Andy, stakeholder It’s green, Look! It’s rural” (Andy, stakeholder

against, local government, Borders)against, local government, Borders)

Organically ruralOrganically rural

Tactility ruralTactility rural

It is because It is because TheyThey said so said soOverall – differing constructs, non-linear, Overall – differing constructs, non-linear,

fragile, interconnected, limitless not exclusive.fragile, interconnected, limitless not exclusive.

Constructing the Wind (farm): Co-Constructing the Wind (farm): Co-constructing Ruralityconstructing Rurality

Assimilating the organicAssimilating the organicEconomic implicationsEconomic implicationsInvoking the green and battling rhetoric's of Invoking the green and battling rhetoric's of sustainable developmentsustainable developmentProliferation and precedent:Proliferation and precedent: ““But you know, here you wouldn’t get to build a wind farm on But you know, here you wouldn’t get to build a wind farm on

the top of Ben [name] but by God you’re going to see a lot of the top of Ben [name] but by God you’re going to see a lot of them if you go up Ben [name], it’s going to be like looking them if you go up Ben [name], it’s going to be like looking through a barred window” (Mike, stakeholder against, NEW)through a barred window” (Mike, stakeholder against, NEW)

““An understanding has crept in, according to which An understanding has crept in, according to which modernity is reduced to the frame of reference of modernity is reduced to the frame of reference of technology and nature in the manner of perpetrator technology and nature in the manner of perpetrator and victim” (Beck, 1992 cited in Irwin, 2001: 136).and victim” (Beck, 1992 cited in Irwin, 2001: 136).

Policy ReviewPolicy Review

NationalNational Lack of strategyLack of strategy AdoptionAdoption DeliberateDeliberate TransparencyTransparency OutdatedOutdated ModerateModerate Top-downTop-down

LocalLocal ConfusedConfused InundatedInundated Lack of skillsLack of skills EvolvingEvolving

Cyber Wars and Rustic TacticsCyber Wars and Rustic TacticsNOA (networks of affiliation) – informal surveys, letter writing, NOA (networks of affiliation) – informal surveys, letter writing, no unified objectivesno unified objectivesAction Groups – formal petitions, letter writing, Action Groups – formal petitions, letter writing, objectives/manifesto and entering into political spheresobjectives/manifesto and entering into political spheres

Elevation into ‘leadership’/’advisory’ rolesElevation into ‘leadership’/’advisory’ roles……once you get a group where their community is threatened by a wind farm, once you get a group where their community is threatened by a wind farm, they know somebody who was involved, it’s a little bit like we know, ‘in the they know somebody who was involved, it’s a little bit like we know, ‘in the land of the blind one eye is king’ you, if somebody knows a little bit more than land of the blind one eye is king’ you, if somebody knows a little bit more than them is is an expert erm, and before you know it, you’re inundated with with them is is an expert erm, and before you know it, you’re inundated with with requests from people, and because you, because you’re so aware of the, the requests from people, and because you, because you’re so aware of the, the horrors of all this, and it is a horror story for you know, no question about it, horrors of all this, and it is a horror story for you know, no question about it, because you’re aware of all the horrors you can’t ignore a a a cry for help…because you’re aware of all the horrors you can’t ignore a a a cry for help…(Pat, stakeholder against, NEW)(Pat, stakeholder against, NEW)

Entering into national politicsEntering into national politicsThey [local action groups] don’t have, the time to get involved nationally but They [local action groups] don’t have, the time to get involved nationally but the national problem is the only problem, the only issue that’s going to really the national problem is the only problem, the only issue that’s going to really change all of this, the planning system unfortunately er, is such that there change all of this, the planning system unfortunately er, is such that there isn’t very much scope within the planning system, for the ordinary person to isn’t very much scope within the planning system, for the ordinary person to get involved erm, it’s pretty limited and incredibly undemocratic…get involved erm, it’s pretty limited and incredibly undemocratic…(Pat, stakeholder against, NEW)(Pat, stakeholder against, NEW)

Regulating the Regulators?Regulating the Regulators?Cost-benefit AnalysisCost-benefit Analysis

Influence/powerlessness (David and Goliath?)Influence/powerlessness (David and Goliath?) But at the end of the day we, I would contend that we got a negative decision from [place] But at the end of the day we, I would contend that we got a negative decision from [place]

Council, because of local pressure amongst, what I would contend would still be the Council, because of local pressure amongst, what I would contend would still be the minority of people opposed to the scheme. But without that backdrop erm, I’m pretty sure minority of people opposed to the scheme. But without that backdrop erm, I’m pretty sure that […] would have been consented, so the private individual should not underestimate that […] would have been consented, so the private individual should not underestimate the power that they have. They may feel that they’re disenfranchised but, from our the power that they have. They may feel that they’re disenfranchised but, from our perspective it’s quite the reverse.perspective it’s quite the reverse.

Educators (L.A.)Educators (L.A.)

Local political spheres a ‘cabinet re-shuffle’Local political spheres a ‘cabinet re-shuffle’ I’m actually nay allowed to represent [place D] on [place] CC, although I did for 18 years, I’m actually nay allowed to represent [place D] on [place] CC, although I did for 18 years,

well not 18, 17 years, it wasn’t until last year, until the wind farm, erm, came up and er, well not 18, 17 years, it wasn’t until last year, until the wind farm, erm, came up and er, more people were wanting to join and, and there was a, sort of re-organisation of the more people were wanting to join and, and there was a, sort of re-organisation of the boundaries…so that was one of the worst things about NEW [laughs]. Got kicked off, the, boundaries…so that was one of the worst things about NEW [laughs]. Got kicked off, the, er, well I nay got kicked off it, I was just moved to another area, but then, say, say it went er, well I nay got kicked off it, I was just moved to another area, but then, say, say it went to an election, which it may well do, because of this wind farm, I’ll be asking people in to an election, which it may well do, because of this wind farm, I’ll be asking people in rural [place K&N], to vote for me, and they’ll say but he’s at [place D]…rural [place K&N], to vote for me, and they’ll say but he’s at [place D]…

(Jake, stakeholder for, NEW).(Jake, stakeholder for, NEW).

Social Regulation ContinuedSocial Regulation Continued

Coercion Coercion Yes and the landowners that we spoke to have said they don’t want the Yes and the landowners that we spoke to have said they don’t want the

power lines going over their land. We actually got [landowner] to go, to power lines going over their land. We actually got [landowner] to go, to not allow them a turning access onto her estate. We have got the family not allow them a turning access onto her estate. We have got the family across the back road to not allow them permission to turn their Lorries across the back road to not allow them permission to turn their Lorries onto part of their ground so that they can get into the Forestry onto part of their ground so that they can get into the Forestry Commission road. We have got the estate further down the valley here Commission road. We have got the estate further down the valley here to refuse them permission to come over and [inaudible] to get into the to refuse them permission to come over and [inaudible] to get into the grid connection – so all these major landowners have all come together grid connection – so all these major landowners have all come together with us and said no – we don’t want you.with us and said no – we don’t want you.

(Nathan, stakeholder against – protest group leader, Borders).(Nathan, stakeholder against – protest group leader, Borders).

National political spheresNational political spheres

Advisors (national)Advisors (national)

Rural Wind Farm

Modes of (Social) Regulation

Modes of Formal Regulation

F AN