June 9, 2008
Scotland
Scotland
A planning application to build a community windfarm on Galson estate is due to be submitted over the summer.
Community landlord Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn intends to erect three 900 KW generators on moorland near the main road by Ballantrushal. The machines would be on common grazings on either side of the A857 roadway between Ballantrushal village and Upper Barvas.
The profit from the turbines will be invested into local projects on the estate in an attempt to regenerate the community. However, a percentage of the profit will be paid to the former private owners of the estate under a deal struck to avoid the land purchase stretching into a protracted hostile buyout scenario under the Land Reform legislation.
The Urras erected its own wind monitoring mast on the site to collect wind speed data.
In recent days, the Urras asked Airidhantuim Community Council to lodge the planning application to Western Isles Council – a move which could the save the land body half the planning fees.
The community council will consider the request at its next meeting later this month.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/06/09/galson-trust-ready-to-submit-wind-farm-application/