A summary of Skye Wind Information Group’s June newsletter and other reports.
The Highland Council’s objection to the proposals to “Repower and Extend” Ben Aketil Wind Farm triggered a public inquiry which ran from 23 – 27 June in Portree. Nadara, the Italian owners of the 16-year old Ben Aketil want to replace the existing 100m high turbines with nine new ones 200m high. The ultimate owners are a private equity company based in the Cayman Islands. Shareholders have profited by £51 million, while local communities received £700,000.
Community members and expert witnesses employed by SWIG, the Highland Council and Nadara made arguments about landscape impact, socioeconomic impact, traffic and transport issues, need and energy policy. You can watch the recordings of the public enquiry sessions here. The reporter, Robert Seaton, will submit his conclusions to the Scottish Government.
On 14th June in Beauly, a Convention on major energy infrastructure in Highland region was hosted by seven community councils, including Sleat from Isle of Skye. 350 people representing 52 Highland community councils gathered to discuss the totality of energy infrastructure affecting their communities – pylon lines, substations, wind turbines, pumped hydro, battery storage workers camps and ancillary infrastructure. Participants expressed frustration over the rapid rollout of large-scale renewable energy infrastructure and the exclusion of local voices in the planning and decision making process. Many speakers stressed that they were not opposed to renewable energy, but to the way these projects are planned and imposed upon communities and landscapes. You can read the convention report, including community council statements, here.
The convention concluded with a joint statement by delegates, calling for:
- urgent support to communities in the face of repeated disregard shown by the Scottish Government for local planning decisions;
- the creation of a Planning Inquiry Commission to address the full cumulative impact of renewable energy developments; and
- a stop to all major applications until a clear energy policy is in place, and an economic impact assessment has been made.
Douglas Lumsden, MSP, subsequently tabled a motion at the Scottish Parliament.
Prior to the Skye public enquiry, 42 community groups wrote an open letter to First Minister John Swinney, calling for an immediate moratorium on wind farm developments.