September 7, 2012
Scotland

Stornoway Wind Farm given go-ahead by Scottish ministers

Stornoway Gazette | www.stornowaygazette.co.uk 7 September 2012

Lewis Wind Power has today welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to grant approval for the 130MW Stornoway Wind Farm project.

The consented wind farm will comprise of 36 turbines, enough to generate the electricity needs of 90,000 homes and save about 250,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The Stornoway Wind Farm project is being driven forward by Lewis Wind Power in partnership with the Stornoway Trust. Lewis Wind Power is a joint venture between AMEC and EDF Energy.

The socio-economic assessment estimates that £48 million of materials and labour are predicted to be sourced within the Western Isles during the construction phase. This includes the BiFab yard at Arnish which is expected to construct the project’s towers.

The construction phase will also support 196 jobs in the Western Isles and a further 181 in the rest of Scotland.

The project is important for the future development of renewables in the Western Isles, supporting the delivery of a HVDC interconnector that will enable future generations of wave and tidal projects to be realised.

The Stornoway Trust has an option to take a 20% share of the wind farm. They will establish a community trust that will be able to direct the funds they receive from the wind farm in order to best meet local needs. The wind farm will have a lifespan of approximately 25 years.

Feedback from statutory consultees has also been incorporated into the final design so that the impact on the local environment and protected species is minimised.

Commenting on the decision by Scottish ministers, Ron Peddie, Project Director for Lewis Wind Power said: “We are absolutely delighted by the Scottish Government’s decision to grant approval to the Stornoway Wind Farm.

“From the very beginning we have sought to develop a wind farm based on the wishes of the local community. The development team is particularly pleased by the support shown by the public throughout the consultation process and we are confident that they will be pleased when the final wind farm is constructed.”

Murdo Murray, Chairman of the Stornoway Trust added: “The Stornoway Trust welcomes the decision by the Scottish Government to grant consent to the Stornoway Wind Farm. The Stornoway Trust has long believed in the potential for a significant wind farm to be built on its land and we believe this project realizes these ambitions.”

Councillor Angus Campbell, Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar added: “This is excellent news for the Outer Hebrides and for Scotland. The Comhairle fully supports this development which will provide significant economic benefits to the Outer Hebrides.

“The Stornoway Wind Farm will provide a multi-million pound cash investment into the economy of the Islands providing much needed employment whilst contributing to the fight against climate change.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/09/07/stornoway-wind-farm-given-go-ahead-by-scottish-ministers/