Stornoway Trust and EDF urged to share wind farm project

WHY WOULD anyone support the construction of a corporate wind farm project over community-owned turbines was the question at Point and Sandwick Trust’s (PST) recent annual general meeting.

Trust chairman Angus McCormack spoke of his bewilderment that anyone could support EDF’s plans for a corporate wind farm in Stornoway over a community-owned one during his address at the trust’s annual general meeting last week.

Mr McCormack compared the numbers, saying the three turbines at Beinn Ghrideag on the Pentland Road generate £900,000 in profit, with every penny going back to the community.

That is exactly the same sum of money which Lewis Wind Power (EDF and Amec-Foster-Wheeler in partnership with Stornoway Trust) plans to give to the community if it gets the go-ahead for its 36-turbine wind farm.

‘Why anyone supports the EDF proposal over the community, I do not understand,’ said Mr McCormack.

Mr McCormack, who is also a councillor for Steornabhagh a Deas, continued: ‘Surely it would be better to have all the benefits remaining locally? That really would be transforming for our community.

‘It should have been possible, and it still is possible, for EDF and the Stornoway Trust to come to an agreement to share the wind farm development.

‘We wish to talk about how best we can use the money we are creating to benefit Point and Sandwick. Both organisations have a responsibility to do that and I look forward to an early meeting between PST and the Stornoway Trust.’

Around 50 people gathered in Ionad Stoodie in Point on Tuesday night (November 21) for the yearly update on Beinn Ghrideag and how the money it generates is spent.

There were a number of speakers – Mr McCormack, wind farm developer Calum Macdonald and general manager Donald John MacSween – followed by presentations.

One of these was from Croft Woodlands project officer Viv Halcrow on the progress of Point and Sandwick’s Croft Woodlands project, a mission to plant 70 hectares of new woodland on croft ground in the Western Isles by 2020.

Altogether, since the beginning of the project two seasons ago, 42,410 trees have been planted.

Smaller scale planting is also taking place, with applicants helped by funding from Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods scheme.

Last season there were 14 MOREwoods schemes, with nearly 9,000 trees going into the ground from the Butt to Barra. This season, 20 schemes have been uploaded. With between 300 and 1,350 trees in each scheme, there will be 10,640 trees altogether.

Interested members of the public, local councillors and Point and Sandwick Trust members also heard from Amy Kaphher-Diament, who works on PST’s LED Energy Communities project which is aimed at cutting fuel poverty and helping the environment.

Mr MacSween gave a report about the many organisations and good causes that have benefited from Point and Sandwick Trust donations through the year. A total of £300,000 has been paid out.

Various other updates were given, including on the recent agreement from National Grid to pay £124,000 compensation for having excessively curtailed power generation at Beinn Ghrideag in the past.