New plans are to be unveiled today for a windfarm on Lewis two years after proposals for a massive £500million development were rejected by the government amid a storm of protest. Island landowners the Stornoway Trust and developer Amec are at an advanced stage of negotiations on proposals to build about 30 turbines on trust land.
A bid for a 181-turbine windfarm on Barvas Moor in the north of Lewis was turned down by the Scottish Government in 2008.
But a government report last year said there was scope for a smaller scheme.
A spokesman for Amec confirmed yesterday it would be announcing a new scheme today and submitting the application – on land on the outskirts of Stornoway – but declined to go into details at this stage. The Stornoway Trust declined to comment.
Lewis Windpower, a consortium of Amec and British Energy, was refused permission for 181 turbines on the environmentally-sensitive Lewis peatlands in April, 2008. Lewis Windpower admitted it had spent more than £5million on the project in plans, surveys and staff so far.
But Energy Minister Jim Mather said the government had refused the scheme because of its incompatibility with European law.
The windfarm was planned for a site designated under the EC Birds Directive and protected under the EC Habitats Directive. Nearly 11,000 people had objected to the scheme, with just 98 letters of support.
But the Western Isles Council had backed the project.
Announcing his decision then, Mr Mather did hold out some hope for renewable energy schemes in the isles that could work with the environment.
If the original development had gone ahead, there would have been 88 miles of road, eight electrical substations, 19 miles of overhead cables, 137 pylons, 18.3 miles of underground cables, and five rock quarries.
The Press & Journal: 30-6-10
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