Hundreds of objections submitted over wind farm plan

Plans for the Stornoway Wind Farm scheme have been submitted to the Scottish Land Court by multinational engineering firm EDF and their current partners in the scheme, Amec-Foster-Wheeler, under Section 19 of the Crofters Act.

A Section 19 application is the request for permission to go ahead with development on crofting ground regardless of whether the crofters in the townships affected would be in favour of the development or not.

Four of the townships affected by EDF’s planning application are known to be opposed because they want to be able to build their own, community-owned, turbines on the same land.

The objections that are known so far — more than 200 — have come mainly from these four townships but it is believed that crofters from neighbouring villages have also submitted objections.

It is thought to be the first time a multinational wind farm has met with objections from crofters wanting to build their own turbines and the number of objections is likely to result in the Land Court convening hearings in Stornoway to hear the crofters’ case.

The story has also received national attention, with high profile figures including mountaineer and broadcaster Cameron McNeish speaking out in support of the crofters on Twitter.

Mr McNeish appealed to Scottish Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse to intervene, while journalist Lesley Riddoch and environmental campaigner Alastair McIntosh have also tweeted about it.

Meanwhile, the crofters from the four townships — Melbost and Branahuie, Sandwick East Street, Sandwick North Street and Aginish — have written to MP Angus Brendan MacNeil to express their “extreme disappointment” at his lack of support for their case, particularly in the light of the recent statement in their support from the SNP group of councillors at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. They have written to SNP group leader Gordon Murray, formally thanking him.

The letter to Angus Brendan has been copied to MSP Alasdair Allan and Gordon Murray. It is signed by representatives from the four common grazings committees. They are Donald MacDonald (Aignish), William MacFarlane (Melbost), Calum Buchanan (East Street) and Rhoda Mackenzie (North Street).

In the letter, the townships reminded the MP that there was “a very tight time scale” for action over EDF’s Stornoway Wind Farm, as the deadline for objections to the application is tomorrow (Thursday, August 24th).

In terms of the number of objections to the Land Court, Willie MacFarlane of Melbost said: “We are delighted at the response of crofting shareholders and indeed of many other members of the community to EDF’s attempt to seize control of our grazings without the consent of the crofters. It is clear that people are disgusted with the attempt by EDF to try and remove our development rights over our own grazings.

“We are determined to use our grazings for community-owned development and not for EDF’s plans and this striking response from the community shows that clearly.”

Rhoda Mackenzie of Sandwick North Street said: “From the reports we are getting from individual crofters and their families, it seems that there have already been hundreds of objections sent to the Land Court to the EDF proposals.

“This is the clearest possible proof of the strength of feeling in the communities about the attempt by EDF to deprive us of the right to manage and develop our own grazings, including building community-owned turbines which will use the profit for the benefit of the whole islands community.

“We are grateful for the strong support we have received from the SNP Group on the council and we have written to them to thank them. However, we are extremely disappointed at the failure of the MP and the MSP to support the crofters on this issue.

“They must realise that they are effectively colluding with EDF to rob the communities over their rights to the grazings. I hope this massive number of objections is a wake-up call to them to swing their support behind the crofting townships.”

When asked for his position this week, Angus Brendan said he was “working hard” with UK government to get the ‘island’ category of wind projects included in the next round of the Contract for Difference (CfD) — a government scheme which guarantees electricity prices for renewables projects and is seen as essential for new developments.

“Otherwise nothing happens,” he said, but did not comment on whether he would intervene on the crofters’ behalf over EDF’s Section 19 application to the Land Court.

Asked for his response, Alasdair Allan said: “There will be a variety of views about how to get the maximum community benefit out of potential future wind projects across the isles. However, for now the priority is ensuring that the interconnector actually happens and that the UK Government finally gives the go-ahead to island CFDs. Our efforts are focussed on getting the right political decisions about the interconnector and making sure that the development takes place within an acceptable timescale.”