Tuesday 15 May 2007

Eastern windfarms

The villagers of Gravir were balloted on the proposed landing station for the Interconnector, which will carry all the power generated by the Lewis windfarms to the National Grid. Of the 82 people approached, 58 responded. 44 of those expressed opposition. I don't think it's a case of NIMBY'ism, actually.

There is one other point that many people appear to forget. The Lewis Windfarm is not just the one from Ness down the West Side to Stornoway. A pretty large development is also proposed, and likely to be approved by the new Executive (more on that later), for the Eishken Estate. From a visual impact point, these 500 ft high turbines will be visible up and down the east coast of Lewis AND Harris. As well as spoiling the best mountain scenery in the Western Isles around the Clisham. I also have to mention that the Park Estate is lined up for a community windfarm, with turbines of a similar size to that in Eishken.

The Scottish Executive looks set to become an SNP minority administration, supported by the Green Party for good measure. What that is likely to lead to does not require rocket science to work out. The Lewis windfarms stand to be rubberstamped by the new administration. I'll refrain from making party political statements.

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