Arran goes Green?
Public views on wind farm proposal sought
Click here to view Scoping Report and Figures
Arran Wind Power (AWP) (note 1) today has submitted a Scoping Report to North Ayrshire Council
for its proposed wind farm at the southern end of Arran and extends an invitation to local people
and local organisations to also have their say in the next stage of development of the wind farm
(note 2). The wind farm could be sufficient to make Arran self sufficient in clean green power
and to export power to the national electricity grid (note 3). This scoping report is being
submitted to enable North Ayrshire Council to guide the environmental information and
assessments to be provided as part of a future planning application. The scoping report
provides background information on the environmental baseline of the proposed wind farm
location and outlines the environmental assessments that AWP believe are required to be
completed to accompany a planning application.
The Scoping Report has been formally submitted to North Ayrshire Council , but to encourage
wider public consultation, copies of the report have been circulated by AWP to a number of
consultees, NGOs and to local community groups. AWP will be encouraging these organisations
and members of the public to provide their feedback. These responses will be taken into account
as the project is taken forward. This forms an important step in AWP’s commitments to
consulting the public as their proposals progress (note 4).
The Scoping Report sets out key questions to focus the responses. Project manager Craig Potter
said “We are keen to get as much feedback as possible, from local people and local organisations,
so that these views are taken into account in the preparation of the planning application and
accompanying Environmental Statement. There is considerable local knowledge about the environment
on Arran and this is an opportunity for locals to help guide the next step of the development
of this project.”
Local farmer and Arran Wind Power founder, Kenny Bone says “This project is an opportunity for
our Island to become self sufficient in clean green power and will reinforce the wider perception
of Arran as a clean and environmentally friendly place to live, work and visit. The local response
to the public consultation in 2006 was very positive. We have taken those views on board and are now
moving towards preparation of a full application. I would encourage everyone to continue their
involvement in this project which has the potential for a real public-private partnership.”
Editor Notes:
(1) Arran Wind Power is a joint venture between local Arran farmer and business man, Kenny Bone, and renewable energy company GreenPower (International) Ltd (see their web site www.greenpowerinternational.com).
(2) Copies of the Scoping Report are available for view by the public at the following places:
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Brodick Library, Shore Road, Brodick.
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North Ayrshire Council Offices, Shore Road, Lamlash.
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Arran Tourist Office, The Pier, Brodick.
To obtain a copy of the scoping document click here.
(3) The consultation considers a range of project sizes from 4 to 8 turbines. At peak output the wind farm would export power back to the national electricity grid. Over the year it is predicted that the wind farm would generate more power than that used on average on the island.
(4) The Scoping Report is submitted under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999, whereby an applicant can request a scoping opinion, from the planning authority, on the scope of environmental assessment required to accompany the planning application.
(5) AWP have held previous public participation events during early 2006 to determine the local public response to a wind farm proposal at the south end of Arran. A summary of the consultation is available on the Arran Wind Power website and a full copy of the consultation can be obtained by written request.
Further Information please contact us:
Either Craig Potter at GreenPower: 01259 272158
or Kenneth Bone (Arran): 01770 600291
e-mail: craig@greenpowerinternational.com
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