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£200 million wind farm planned for Stornoway                  29/6/10

 

 

 

 

A £200 million wind farm, with up to 50 giant wind turbines, is being planned on the outskirts of Stornoway by a partnership between Amec and French-owned EDF Energy.

 

EDF owns British Energy, the legacy partner in Lewis Wind Power (LWP) which pushed the original ill-fated proposal to build the world’s largest wind farm across the Lewis moor eight years ago.

 

Ironically, the latest renewable scheme would be erected on land the developers previously rejected around 2004. They have obtained the wind energy rights over the crofting moorland and forestry belt.

 

The current proposal was revealed in 2008 in the aftermath of the Scottish Government’s refusal to controversially build a £700 million chain of 181 huge turbines up the length of Lewis.

 

Progress has been grindingly slow but now environmental survey plans are set to be submitted to the Scottish Government shortly.

 

On Stornoway Trust land, the site sweeps south from the Marybank to the Pentland road junction down towards Achmore, North Lochs and the Arnish moor.

 

It takes in part of summer grazings used by Sandwick and Point crofters and is partially covered with forestry.

 

It borders onto an environmentally designated area at the foot of the Barvas Hills and close to golden eagles breeding grounds.

 

LWP withdrew from the area after conflicts with wild birds and radar interests as well as concerns over peat slides.

 

That gave community body Point and Sandwick Power a chance to progress plans for a small wind farm - one of the rare gaps on the community-owned estate not controlled by LWP.  

 

Depending on the number of turbines which receive planning permission, up to £1.5 million is being offered annually, worth around £38 million over 25 years, in community benefit after the electricity starts generating in three or four years.

 

A new community fund would be established but the share breakdown between it and the council-led Western Isles Development Trust is unclear.

 

On the table are plans to allow for the community to take up to 20% ownership of the development - thought to require sacrificing a chunk of community benefit or site rentals.

 

However, a main issue for the planned 100 MW plus development was trying to secure a grid connection. Amec never booked space on the Minch sub-sea energy cable as it always planned to build its own private interconnector between Arnish and Hunterson for its Lewis moor development.

 

The firm points out the site was identified by the Halcrow Report, commissioned by Scottish Energy Minister Jim Mather, as potentially suitable for wind farm developments.

 

Mr Mather ordered the study to see if windfarms could be built in the Western Isles after he refused the original sprawling development on environmental grounds in 2008.

 

The environmental document addresses surveys to include noise, visual impact, radar, archaeology, ecology, tourism and hydrology.  Bird studies started on the site last spring and the scope of work is said to have been agreed with SNH.

 

LWP and the landlords seemed to have heeded lessons from last time when they were furiously lambasted by islanders for a lack of communication.

 

They promise they will now work with the surrounding communities and will undertake a series of public consultation events for the next six months “to ensure that the views of the local people and the interests of the crofters concerned are incorporated into all future plans.”

 

The Stornoway Trust is looking to set up a new Community Trust specifically to represent the views of the community and to make important decisions about the delivery of community benefits.

 

Stornoway Trust factor, Iain MacIver, said: “I believe that renewable energy offers a great opportunity to secure a sustainable future for the Lewis community.

 

“Over recent months we have considered various options and believe we have secured a financially sound and deliverable outcome.  

 

“This project would inject much needed cash into the local economy over the lifetime of the project and allow us to develop a whole range of other initiatives”.

 

Gerry McGill, AMEC board member on Lewis Wind Power (LWP), said:  “This is a new proposal entirely on Stornoway Trust land and consistent with the Halcrow report recommendations.

 

“We will work in close consultation with both statutory bodies and local communities to ensure that these plans are taken forward with maximum regard to the interests of both the environment and the local economy”.

 

Paul Spence from EDF Energy, a fellow director of LWP said that LWP would “welcome and help facilitate the development of community-owned projects on land covered by their lease agreement with Stornoway Trust and in parallel with their own project.”