February 14, 2012
Scotland

Stornoway Trust call for end of windfarm lease row

Stornoway Gazette, www.stornowaygazette.co.uk 14 February 2012

Lewis Wind Power and Point and Sandwick Power Development Trust are being urged by the Stornoway Trust to work together to resolve outstanding legal issues.

As reported in the Stornoway Gazette (February 9) accusations made of ‘deliberate ploys to delay’ and ‘sabotage’ of Point and Sandwick Power Development Trust (PST) wind project were strongly refuted by Lewis Wind Power (LWP).

Claims were made that LWP had prevented the signing of a draft lease for land until a payment of £20,000 was made upfront – allegations LWP stated as ‘just not true’.

The Stornoway Trust has now intervened and is calling on the two renewable companies to collaborate and conclude the legal documentation required, stating that the community ‘deserve nothing less’.

Stornoway Trust Chairman, Mr Charlie Nicolson said: “Our overwhelming desire as Trustees of the Stornoway Trust Estate is to see these two projects succeed.

“They are both significant economic projects that have the potential to invest millions of pounds into our local economy and underpin the development and welfare of our estate.

“We encourage both parties to work together so that we can have a speedy conclusion to the outstanding legal issues that remain for the Point Power project to proceed and reach financial close.”

Mr Nicolson continued: “We have intervened to urge LWP and Point Power to move forward in a spirit of unity and cooperation so that the interests of both projects are realised.

“In this economic climate the residents of the Trust estates deserve nothing less than that we all work together for the good of our community.”

He added: “We want to congratulate LWP and Point Power on the progress they have made with their respective projects and we look forward to working with them in the future.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/14/stornoway-trust-call-for-end-of-windfarm-lease-row/