October 2, 2013
Scotland

Sustainable Shetland claims victory

October 2nd, 2013 by Shetland Times | www.shetlandtimes.co.uk

Campaign group Sustainable Shetland is claiming a major victory against the Scottish government today, after a judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh indicated that the decision to grant consent to the Viking Energy windfarm would be quashed.

According to a statement released by the group this afternoon: “Lady Clark of Calton held that the decision to grant consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 was incompetent because Viking Energy Partnership did not have a licence to generate electricity”.

The statement also claims that Sustainable Shetland’s legal fees will be covered by Scottish ministers.

The group’s chairman Frank Hay said: “This ruling is hugely important. We have always felt that this project was wrong for Shetland – a belief upheld by our own planning department, who advised that Shetland Islands Council should recommend refusal to the consent.

“We are heartened by today’s outcome, which reflects months of hard work by all concerned.”

However, Viking Energy has declined to comment on the ruling, stating that “Lady Clark has not yet issued her interlocutor, which is the detail of her decision”.

It is expected that the details of this decision will be confirmed tomorrow. If confirmed, all parties will have 21 days to decide whether or not to appeal the ruling.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/10/02/sustainable-shetland-claims-victory/