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28 April, 2008
THERE’S an interesting sentence in R.Sandison’s letter (‘Windylights
was last straw’; SN 25/4/08). The letter says: “If Viking
Energy and all the employed experts are true to their word and
really want to protect sensitive areas they should remove all
turbines that endanger Shetland lochs.”
And we immediately reach the crux of the matter. Do the turbines
endanger the lochs? Yes, says R.Sandison. If it’s true however, why
have none of the watercourses in Tingwall been adversely affected by
the existence of Burradale wind farm? Fishing still happens in lochs
fed by Burradale Hill. There’s risk in everything and there’s always
a worst-case scenario.
I’d personally rather wait to see a professional environmental
impact assessment before I decide what is actually going to happen
and I’m sure that the public nature of Viking Energy will encourage
best practice rather than the alternative.
I’m steadfast that Viking Energy will never shy away from the
responsibilities that must be faced. I can cite as an example the
commitment of Shetland Islands Council to the region around Sullom
Voe where the work undertaken over the years enabled the UK
government to designate Sullom Voe an Area of Special Conservation.
We also need to consider if not building the turbines is actually
protecting the lochs. The unarguable evidence shows that lochs and
lochans in the central mainland of Shetland are suffering along with
the peatland. Available breeding sites for raingeese are
disappearing every year and the condition of the hills is a big part
of that.
The wind farm has the potential to exacerbate this, but it also has
the potential to help remedy this. The one thing we can be sure of
is that doing nothing will not protect anything. Conservation needs
effort. The wind farm can and will provide effort and it would be
unreasonable to ignore this potential benefit.
Finally, I note that R.Sandison objects to wind farms that will only
benefit “large companies and a few landowners or individuals.” That
is a simplistic position. The Viking wind farm is different. The
rentals are spread over many hundreds of crofters, substantial
community benefit packages will stay within the communities nearest
to the development and the unprecedented community ownership will
see the not-inconsiderable profits sustaining Shetland’s care
centres, colleges, leisure centres, schools etc. beyond the oil era.
Above all, council and charitable trust policies will ensure
standard-setting environmental awareness to protect and enhance our
environment. We will all benefit.
Yours sincerely,
Alastair Cooper
Director – Viking Energy |
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