‘Options being explored’ amid camps controversy
Controversial workers’ camps in the Mid Argyll villages of Furnace and Ford were intended to ease pressure during the busy summer tourist months, it has been claimed.
Civil engineering firm Balfour Beatty has submitted a planning application to Argyll and Bute Council to site 14 accommodation cabins in Furnace for two years to house workers on the electricity line upgrade between Inveraray and Crossaig in north Kintyre.
The proposal attracted a flurry of protests from residents and Furnace Community Council has now formally objected to the plans.
A similar camp has already been set up at Torran, near Ford, for contractors on the same project.
Balfour Beatty is employed as the main contractor on the scheme by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).
Both firms have been in the spotlight since the coronavirus outbreak, with numerous reports of workers travelling to homes across the UK and mixing with the Mid Argyll public when they come back.
Procedures have recently been tightened, say the companies, but the prospect of camps near communities has reignited fears. Ford resident John Boden wrote to SSEN on May 19 to ask why workers were placed 15 miles from the works site, adding: ‘The risks of transmitting the virus around the country are obvious.’
The Ford area falls under Dunadd Community Council and earlier this week its convener Jim Malcolm told the Advertiser that while the community council had yet to take a formal position regarding the Torran camp, fears have been expressed locally that the camp could become a ‘hotspot’ for the virus.
Having received around 40 public comments, Furnace Community Council members unanimously decided to object to the application, asking for its rejection.
Reasons given involved concern over the transmission of coronavirus, which could put residents at risk. Other points raised included issues over road access, volume of traffic, noise and privacy.
The statement continued: ‘While there is a view that, under other circumstances, there could be some benefit derived for the village, that is not the prevailing view...’
A spokesperson for SSEN Transmission said: ‘We and our contractors continue to explore suitable sites to accommodate our workforce.
‘When selecting sites we need to consider a range of factors, including access to essential infrastructure and, ultimately, agreement with landowners.
‘The selection of the proposed sites pre-dates the coronavirus outbreak, with the sites selected intended to help reduce pressures on local accommodation providers during what would normally be peak tourist season.
‘As we and our contractors continue to take forward proposals for suitable accommodation sites, we are committed to working closely with the communities affected to help address any particular concerns where we can.’
Balfour Beatty said it was ‘exploring options’ for accommodation ‘as production levels increase on site’.
A spokesperson added: ‘Any decision on employee accommodation will be taken in line with Balfour Beatty’s COVID-19 site operating procedures, issued on May 20, which are fully aligned to the latest government guidelines to ensure the continued health, safety and well-being of all those who work for and with us, as well as the general public.’