SSE said the Dalnessie scheme and plans to extend an existing development
at Fairburn were no longer financially viable.
Residents who had protested at the proposals hailed the decision as a
victory for people power, as industry body Scottish Renewables admitted
onshore windfarm developers across the country were facing tough times.
Anti-windfarm campaigner Stuart Young said: “I’m just delighted about this,
particularly as they are both pretty nasty developments.”
The 27-turbine Dalnessie scheme, north-east of Lairg, had been due to be
the subject of a public inquiry in the summer after Highland Council, the
John Muir Trust and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland all objected to
it. The inquiry will now be called off. Plans for a 12-turbine extension to
the existing Fairburn windfarm in Ross-shire have also been scrapped.
In a statement, SSE said: “Reviews of both proposals have concluded that
continued investment in progressing them is no longer financially viable.”
The company declined to say if the cost of the inquiry or UK Government
subsidy cuts for onshore wind had influenced the decision.
Colin Nicol, SSE’s director of onshore renewables, said: “Each project is
dealt with on a case-by-case basis and the decision to end Dalnessie and
Fairburn extension means that we can redirect resource on to the best
projects in our portfolio, ensuring they more effectively deliver the
best-value renewable energy for the consumer and SSE, consistent with our
commitment to being a responsible developer.”
Anti-windfarm campaigner Lyndsey Ward, of Kiltarlity, said: “This is the
best news we could have had.
“Both projects are highly controversial developments. My own community is
close to Fairburn extension and will be delighted that this ill-conceived
proposal has been axed.
“Communities who don’t want industrial wind installations near them are
beginning to fight back hard with professional advice and, I believe, it is
making a difference.
“We are fed up with being disrespected and our opinions ignored. I hope
part of the withdrawal was because SSE listened to the communities – but
somehow I doubt it.”
Stuart Young, of Caithness Windfarm Information Forum, said he hoped that
more windfarm developers would follow suit.
He said: “A lot of people would be affected by both Dalnessie and Fairburn.
I hope this is just the start of many.”
John Muir Trust head of policy, Helen McDade, said of the Dalnessie
withdrawal: “This is a major U-turn by SSE and a victory for those who want
to see Scotland’s wild land protected against large-scale, industrial-style
development.
“This windfarm would have involved the erection of dozens of turbines and
the excavation of thousands of tonnes of rock and the construction of tens
of miles of access roads on a spectacular wild landscape. SSE was well
aware that it faced formidable opposition from a broad coalition of local
residents and businesses, conservationists and outdoors organisations.
“Whatever the official reason given for this decision, we would like to
think the company will now think more strategically about where they site
onshore windfarms.”
Mountaineering Council of Scotland chief officer, David Gibson, also
welcomed the decision and said: “We hope that other developers will
question the wisdom of pursuing such developments which threaten the wide
and open landscapes of this beautiful area of Scotland.”
3 Comments
Peter Evans · February 25, 2014 at 11:17 am
Brilliant news. Ugly proposals both of them. Hopefully the tide is beginning to turn against developers who can no longer milk the public purse for subsidies when they are eventually cut back. Hit them in the pocket and they blow away with the wind!