BREAKING NEWS
Muaitheabhal Windfarm Fourth Submission - CONSENTED January 14 2010
Statement from MWT (14 January 2010):
MWT are very disappointed with the todays announcement that the Scottish Government have decided to consent the 33-turbine Muaitheabhal windfarm on Eisgein Estate on the Isle of Lewis. The people of Lewis and Harris, particularly those most affected by this development, have strongly and consistently expressed their opposition to the Muaitheabhal Wind Farm. We feel that the community and the environment have been badly let down by the political representatives at both local and national levels. MWT will now consider the Government's decision and the consent conditions in detail before deciding on our next move.
Muaitheabhal Windfarm Fourth Submission - CONSENTED January 14 2010
14 January 2010 The Scottish Government has announced that it has given planing consent for 33 turbines to be built on the Eishken Estate. These are the turbines that were proposed in the last application by Beinn Mor and Crionaig Power in August.
8 August 2009 - Comhairle nan Eilean Siar have recommended tha the Scottish Ministers approve all 39 turbines proposed by Beinn Mor Power/Crionaig Power. Both the Comhairle's planning officers and Scottish Natural Heritage recommeded that crtain turbines were removed in order to reduce adverse visual impacts but this was ignored by the elected councillors.
Muaitheabhal PLI
8 August 2009 - The Scottish Government has published the Report from the Muaitheabhal Windfarm (53 turbine) Public Local Inquiry held in Stornoway, May 2008. The Reporter, Miss Janet M McNair concluded:
"The wind farm would compromise the objectives of designation and the overall integrity of the South Lewis, Harris and North Uist National Scenic Area (NSA) and would have significant adverse effects on the qualities for which the NSA was designated. These effects would not be clearly outweighed by social or economic benefits of national importance arising from the development."
In the event that the Scottish Government still determined to consent the application in spite of this consclusion, Miss McNair suugested that then the number of turbines consented should be limited to the 53. The full report can be downloaded from:
Beinn Mhor A.K.A Pentland Road Windfarm
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar have approved the first windfarm on the Lewis Peatlands Special Protection Area. The 6 turbine project was first aproved in 2003 amidst great controversy when Scottish Natural Heritage withdrew their objection, following a one day inspection by SNH officers, which they claimed allowed them to conclude that the windfarm would not impact on the interests of the SPA. This was following a catalogue of complaints after the developers had already manifestly failed to conform to SNH's own guidelines for Environmentalk Impact Assesments, compalints which neither SNH or the plannning authorities upheld. The application was then called in following objections from the aviation industry and was potentially heading for Public Inquiry when a suprise announcement was made this year that the aviation issues had been
resolved. The details have not yet been made public.
SSE Subsea-cable
SSE have announced that they will be conforming to the request by CNES to lay a sub-sea cable between Gravir and Arnish to service large windfarms in north Lewis.
Scottish and Southern Energy have submitted their planning application to build the transmission line between Gravir and Beauly.
Associated applications which are at various stages in the planning process include: Converter Station at Gravir (undergoing consented by CNES), pavement to avoid works traffic in Gravir (consented), overhead transmission lines between Gravir and Stornoway (scoping).
PAIRC WINDFARM, PAIRC ESTATE
Documentation released with the Beauly Denny line consent listed Pairc Windfarm as a 'suspended' project, while media reports have suggested that SSE may be concentrating their efforts on off-shore projects.
Scottish and Southern Energy submitted an ammended application to build a 26 turbine (94 MW) windfarm on Pairc Estate in Feb 2009. This application was recommended for approval by the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar planning committee on 21 April 2009.
A previous application by SSE PLC to build a 205MW windfarm on Pairc Estate, Isle of Lewis, was put before Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in 2007. It was decided to recommend that the Scottish Ministers approve only 26 of turbines.
Lewis Wind Power
LWP have refreshed their website to inform that following the intervention of the SNP Government, and publication of their (SNP) commissioned report, LWP are now pursuing a further development on Stornoway Trust land to the south and west of Stornoway: http://www.lewiswind.com/
ROUND-UP (UPDATED 14/01/2010) |
LIVE CONSULTATIONS
Currenty no live consultations
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Recent media coverage
Also see the Archive pages - left menu
January 14
Lewis wind farm
Green light for Eishken giant wind farm
January 6 2010
Go-ahead for wind farms’ network link
Comhairle welcomes Beauly - Denny decision
Conservatives slam SNP over power pylons
January 3 2010
Green energy transmission charges are attacked
December 24 2009
Strong gusts jettison North Harris wind farm
Fresh blow for giant Pairc wind farm
December 23 2009
Salmon power plans for energy plant
Older news items relating to all windfarm developments on the Outer Hebrides are to be found in the Archive pages
PUBLICATIONS
January 30 2009 - The Scottish Government report on the development of renewable energy on the Western Isles has been published
October 2007 - The Scottish national campaign group Views of Scotland have published two reports on the Lewis windfarms for the SNP Conference.
"Carbon savings and wind power on Lewis" provides an analysis of the CO2 emissions that could be offset by the schemes, from the developers claims through to scenarios taking account of potential CO2 emissions from degraded peat disturbed by the developments.
"Public attitudes to wind power on Lewis" brings together the results of the measures of public opinion which have been undertaken on the island from the first survey by the North Lewis windfarm Survey Group to the recent Pairc Community Council Ballot, as well as the number of objections to each proposal.
MWT would like to express our thanks to Views of Scotland for their support !
CAMPAIGN INFORMATION DOWNLOADS
No windfarctory on Lewis!
ABOUT US
We are Lewis residents, who are alarmed and concerned at the various proposed windfarm developments for our island. Our concerns are:
- a lack of public discussion on these developments;
- the failure to ascertain the views of the people who are most affected;
- the visual impact ;
- Environmental - irreversible damage to blanket bog, adverse affects to bird habitat and life,
effects on natural water channels, rivers and lochans;
- Adverse affect on crofting, tourism and our way of life;
- Encroachment on a SPA (Special Protection Area) which has been designated by Europe
and which should be protected, and on the habitats of species protected under European law.
- that a public resource can be used so readily by a private company to make profit
- Disregard for the natural heritage of our island
- Lack of a coherent renewable energy policy for these islands from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the
local authority
We began with informal meetings in each others homes, progressed onto more public meetings and have now galvanised ourselves into a formal opposition group to the inappropriate developments that are being proposed for Lewis. We have a steering group, a number of sub-groups and an increasing number of people who subscribe to our aims and whom we regularly keep in contact with via email and telephone. If you would like to join this list, please go to the contact section. We welcome everybody who shares our aims to join and support our effort.
Our Aims
(a) “To protect the Lewis landscape, its people and economy against inappropriate industrial developments, such as the currently proposed windfarm schemes; and to oppose the pylon-isation of the Highlands and Islands.
(b) To be a small active group that encourages, supports and mobilises the wider population in opposition of inappropriate developments.
(c) To liaise with all interested parties in relation to (a) & (b) above
How to help
MWT has now been existence for over 4 years - During this time many hundreds of hours have been spent undertaking research, preparing information, printing, copying videos, delivering literally thousands of information leaflets and objection letters accross the island, organising meetings .. the list is endless.
We have only been able to acheive this through the dedication of volunteers willing to give their time, energy and skills. The costs of the campaign over 4 years have been met purely by donations, often small, a pound or two, for which we are extremely grateful.
Please help us continue to fight for the Lewis Moorland and its people.
We have a bank account in the name of “Mòinteach gun Mhuileann” with the Clydesdale Bank, Stornoway branch, Sort Code: 82-69-25, Account: 90048349……….
A standing order form is also available (in PDF format) here. MGM-SO.pdf
We can now accept donations via Paypal. Please send these from your Paypal account to: mwt@semantise.com.
Any amount would be gratefully appreciated. Mòran taing. Thank you.
Contact us
MWT,1 North Bragar, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DA
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