Communities get early Christmas present
Communities served by Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge and Achnacarry and Glengarry community councils got extra Christmas cheer this week with news of a huge cash windfall from energy firm SSE Renewables.
Along with other communities across the Highlands, they will benefit from a slice of £28millon from SSE’s newest onshore wind farm.
SSE completed the construction and commissioning of the £350m Stronelairg Wind Farm, near Fort Augustus, recently and its 66 turbines can generate enough energy to power 160,000 homes.
Construction began in April 2017 and it is now fully operational and exporting clean power to the UK national grid.
As part of the project, SSE created the Stronelairg Community Development Fund, offering one of the biggest cash injections the Highlands has seen. It will take SSE’s total community benefit contribution in the area to more than £80 million. An annual payment of £569,250 will be made available to communities across Stratherrick and Foyers, Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston, Laggan, Spean Bridge, Roybridge and Achnacarry and Glengarry with a further £569,250 going to SSE’s regional Highland Sustainable Development Fund to help strategic projects. The Stronelairg Fund will contribute £28 million to the area over the next 25 years.
The fund will make a significant impact helping develop rural infrastructure, community projects and skills and development opportunities throughout the Great Glen.
A delighted Spean Bridge Roy Bridge and Achnacarry Community Council chairman John Fotheringham explained: ‘This area is getting a disruption payment of £50,000, index-linked, every year for three years starting in 2019 from the Stronelairg Wind Farm Fund following lengthy negotiations between the community council and SSE.
‘Applications for sums of up to £10,000 will be made to SSE but the decisions will be made by a panel which includes five representatives from our communities. This panel will meet twice a year to consider applications.’
Mr Fotheringham added £5,000 from the yearly payment of £50,000 had been ring fenced for micro grants of up to £500 each to small organisations. These grants will be determined quarterly by the community council.
SSE will be running a roadshow in Kilmonivaig Church Hall, near Spean Bridge, in late January to help prospective applicants.
Jim Smith, SSE Renewables managing director designate, said: ‘SSE Renewables is intrinsically connected to the Highlands. We’re committed to supporting the communities we’re part of.’