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ARCHIVE 2010
The maps have now been update to show the new Stornoway Windfarm proposal (2011).
UPDATE to November 2010
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/ At a recent public exhibition LWP revealed the proposed layout for the new windfarm:
SSE Subsea-cable 11/11/10
SSE said its national grid operator subsiduary SHETL has:
"concluded that the lack of financial underwriting from electricity generators (attributed to the level of transmission charges) relating to the link from the Western Isles to the mainland meant it would not be able to conclude a contract for the supply of the necessary electricity cable. As a result, it withdrew its request to Ofgem for authorisation to make the investment. It will, however, prepare a new request for authorisation to invest in the link as soon as these issues are resolved. In practice, this is likely to take at least one year.”
Muaitheabhal Windfarm fifth Submission - CONSENTED January 14 2010 - Extension under consideration June 2010
A further extension to the Muaitheabhal windfarm is now being considered with a request having been submitted for a Scoping Opinion for six turbines to be constructed between the proposed Pairc turbines and consented Muaitheabhal turbines along the Eishken Estate road. A map showing the proposed layout is on theMauaitheabhal page (menu left).
14 January 2010 The Scottish Government announced that it had 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.
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.
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.
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.
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UPDATE to November 2010
SSE Subsea-cable 11/11/10
SSE said its national grid operator subsiduary SHETL has "concluded that the lack of financial underwriting from electricity generators (attributed to the level of transmission charges) relating to the link from the Western Isles to the mainland meant it would not be able to conclude a contract for the supply of the necessary electricity cable. As a result, it withdrew its request to Ofgem for authorisation to make the investment. It will, however, prepare a new request for authorisation to invest in the link as soon as these issues are resolved. In practice, this is likely to take at least one year.”
Muaitheabhal Windfarm fifth Submission - CONSENTED January 14 2010 - Extension under consideration June 2010
A further extension to the Muaitheabhal windfarm is now being considered with a request having been submitted for a Scoping Opinion for six turbines to be constructed between the proposed Pairc turbines and consented Muaitheabhal turbines along the Eishken Estate road. A map showing the proposed layout is on theMauaitheabhal page (menu left).
14 January 2010 The Scottish Government announced that it had 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.
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.
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.
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 14/11/2010) |
November 26 2010
Grid failings a block on renewables development
November 25 2010
Ian Funnell, Director of Transmission Projects, SSE, Inveralmond House, 200 Dunkeld Road, Perth.
Lewis £200m windfarm plan in jeopardy
Voith Hydro Wavegen’s LIMPET plant celebrates 10 years
November 18 2010
Stornoway windfarm at risk from high subsea cable charges
November 12 2010
Peacock “disappointed” over delayed cable
Western Isles fear over green power connection
November 11 2010
MEP steps into inter-connector row
Axed sub-sea cable hits all island wind energy schemes
Euro politician says Lewis sub-sea cable is in the national interest
Comhairle Calls on UK Government to Strategically Invest
Furious Comhairle demands UK Government builds energy cable
September 23 2010
Allan: “Western Isles are getting ripped off”
Salmond welcomes power charges review
Major breakthrough for Western Isles renewables
Progress for Stornoway Wind Farm application
September 22 2010
Stornoway Wind Farm lodges environment assessment
Hebrides in pioneering global marine energy race
Call for fair electricity grid charges
September 22 2010
UHI wants local windfarm tax
APPLICATIONS AND CONSULTATIONS
A further extension to the Muaitheabhal windfarm is now being considered with a request having been submitted for a Scoping Opinion for six turbines to be constructed between the proposed Pairc turbines and consented Muaitheabhal turbines along the Eishken Estate road. A map showing the proposed layout is on theMauaitheabhal page (menu left).
Lewis Wind Power Ltd have submitted a scoping request to the Scottish Ministers for a proposal to build a windfarm of up to 50 turbines to the south and south-west of Stornoway.
Lewis Castle College/Greenspace Research have submitted a screening application for two 54 metre turbines to be located in the Stornoway Castle grounds west of the college and south of the sawmill.
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July 10 2010
UPDATE to July 2010
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.
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.
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) |
July 10 2010
Scotland lined up as potential site for first floating wind farm
July 9 2010
New proposals for wind farm on Lewis
Giant offshore wind farms plan for Lewis
July 5 2010
Energised backing for renewable economy
New windfarm proposed at Lewis estate
July 4 2010
New bid to enlarge Eishken windfarm
Plans for Stornoway Wind Farm
June 28 2010
New proposals for wind farm on Lewis
April 12 2010
Electricity giant buys stake in Arnish yard
April 7 2010
Giant wind farm benefit may pay for land buyout
March 25 2010
Giant electricity network planned for Lewis
March 24 2010
Power from the burns
March 24 2010
Lacking Power
March 22 2010
Impact on eagles of wind energy projects
March 17 2010
Energy companies in wind farm takeover talks
Film version:
March 16 2010
£200 million Eishken wind farm for sale
March 13 2010
Wind turbines: 'Eco-friendly' - but not to eagles
March 4 2010
Highlands face a new clearance in wake of windfarm decisions
January 1 20104
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
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