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2 May, 2008
MR WISHART’S response (‘No
blasting’; SN 24/4/08) to my recent letter in Shetland
News (‘Shetland’s scenery is world class’; SN 21/4/08) serves only
to highlight the almost total inadequacy of the SSE/SHETL cable
‘consultation’ exercise.
True, there was no literal mention of blasting. However as I
understand it his company Viking Energy may require up to three DC
circuits. That means SHETL supplying up to 25 metres width for the
required six cable tracks since cables must be “around five metres”
apart. Difficult to see how this can be ‘dug’ into the hard
crystalline limestone of Weisdale without blasting or, (even worse),
the constant hammering of rock breakers over long periods of time.
As I understand it the cable (unlike the Sullom Voe pipeline) cannot
be laid in peat because peat is a poor conductor of heat. It appears
that the cable is to be routed through about 2km of peat in Upper
Kergord. If this is so then peat is most likely to be replaced with
cement-based sand (for heat conduction). Perhaps they will find a
convenient voe to fill with the extracted peat as happened at Orka
Voe in the 1970s.
The cable is supposed to be delivered in 1km long sections. I can’t
see how the cable track, with jointing bays every 1km along its
route inland, can become invisible. Something else that won’t become
invisible is the new wide access road that will need to be built to
haul the massive transformer into Upper Kergord. Something else that
won’t magically blend into the landscape is the huge 15m high
converter station and its five hectare site while it waits 20 odd
years for trees to grow high enough to screen it.
Another inadequate study that Mr Wishart quotes is ‘The Economic
Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism’ that was conducted on
mainland Scotland. The study questionnaire was put to a mere 380
tourists. Of these only about 21 per cent were wildlife or outdoor
tourists. No island groups were included in the survey. Certainly
nothing describing the relative scale and impact that these
proposals are likely to have in an area like the central mainland of
Shetland were included in the survey. Even then, this report reveals
that about 25 per cent of tourists preferred landscapes without wind
farms
I’m not aware of Viking Energy contacting any Shetland tourism
providers to see what feedback they have had from their clients.
They seem happy to spin reports such as this that have little
relevance to Shetland to make their case.
From the SIC’s own tourism survey the majority of tourists come to
Shetland to enjoy wildlife, scenery, peace and quiet – something
that will be sadly missing if this project gets planning permission.
It is gratifying to know that tourism minister Jim Mather thinks
that not every wind farm application will receive consent. He also
says that renewables and tourism are compatible provided that they
are “right developments in the right location” - this was certainly
not my customers’ opinion of Windylights 1 when I showed it to them
in 2007.
I have been told that Viking Energy intend to instigate a planning
process in September. Environmental impact assessments have not yet
been published and may not be (and need not be) until the day that
planning application is submitted. This gives little or no time for
public debate or consultations on these. This also says to me that
VE have already made up their mind that the environmental
consequences of the wind farm and cable are acceptable. Once the
planning application is submitted, and the planning process
underway, promises that “if the people of Shetland don't want this
it won't go ahead” are empty because the final decision is taken in
Edinburgh, not Shetland. I guess that VE’s response to this will be
that they have a mandate to instigate this process – I bet they
won’t test this in a referendum.
I’m sorry if Mr Wishart sees my historical parallel to DD Black’s
activities as a personal attack. I was merely stating my opinion on
how history would look back at these proposals if they go ahead. DD
Black acted on behalf of himself and the landowner by compulsorily
clearing these valleys. I have no doubt that Black would have argued
that he was acting in the best interests of the people, and for the
future prosperity of Shetland.
The biggest landowner involved the wind farm project is Shetland
Islands Council, also the de facto owner of Viking Energy. Viking
Energy is SSE’s full co-operating partner in the project. I’m told
that there was talk from SSE representatives (at the Whiteness Hall
cable presentation) of “compulsory purchase” of land, if that is
what it takes to provide Viking Energy with the cable.
Allen Fraser
Shetland Geotours
Hamnavoe
Burra
01595 859 218
pallenfraser@lineone.net
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