July 4, 2011
Scotland

Surfers fear huge windfarm off Tiree could sink annual windsurfing event

Daily Record, www.dailyrecord.co.uk 4 July 2011

A proposed offshore wind farm could put an end to a Scottish surfing paradise.

ScottishPower Renewables plan to build a 140-square-mile “forest” of 300 turbines on the isle of Tiree.

But community leaders say the scheme will block the waves and impact on tourist numbers.

The island, dubbed the Hawaii of the north, is home to the Tiree Wave Classic, a huge annual windsurfing event attracting international media and some of the world’s best surfers.

It is now feared that the event could stop if the wind farm plans were to go ahead.

In a report to regulators Marine Scotland, campaign group No Tiree Array said the development is likely to “kill all water-sport leisure activities and the related buoyant industry”.

Craig Sutherland, 33, who runs Suds Surf School on Tiree, said: “Most of the windsurfers come here to look for waves as well as the wind.

“They are surfing the waves but they have the sail as well so they can do aerial tricks, so they wouldn’t be able to do that.”

ScottishPower Renewables said: “We are conducting a full assessment of potential impacts regarding the development.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/07/04/surfers-fear-huge-windfarm-off-tiree-could-sink-annual-windsurfing-event/