By Iain Ramage
Highland businesses have been urged to cash-in on a giant windfarm
development in the region – but objectors dismissed the move as “smoke and
mirrors.”
SSE plans to build the 67-turbine Stronelairg scheme across 8,650 acres at
the south end of Loch Ness, having won a bitter legal battle with
conservation charity the John Muir Trust.
Objectors have claimed the development would destroy vast swathes of wild
land, including peatland capable of storing large quantities of CO2.
SSE has advertised an afternoon showcase – in Fort Augustus on December 1 –
as a “business opportunities event” from which local firms could benefit
with contracts connected with the construction of the project.
It says the company is “dedicated to maximising the benefits and
opportunities for local businesses and communities from its projects.”
Describing the event as an “excellent opportunity” to meet the project team
and contractors, the firm is encouraging businesses of all sizes to attend.
But retired construction consultant Stuart Young, who keeps a close eye on
wind farms across the north, yesterday questioned whether there are any
local contractors who could compete with construction giants from outwith
the area for any major work on the project.
He said: “There are no local contractors who could undertake work on the
foundations.
“They’ll go to Morrisons and RJ McLeod, not local companies. They bring in
their travelling team who go all round the Highlands, bringing their own
caravans, sleeping on site and not spending a lot of money locally.
“There might be crumbs from the table but there’s no major opportunity
because there are no players of that scale in the local area who can
actually take advantage of it. It’s largely smoke and mirrors.”
Objectors to the windfarm finally abandoned a legal fight in the summer
because of the cost of any further action to halt it.
The planning application was also opposed by the Cairngorms National Park
Authority, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and three out of four
local councillors.
Written objections from the public outnumbered letters of support by 15 to one.
The Scottish Government has said Stronelairg Windfarm will “create jobs and
generate important economic benefits for the Highlands and Islands economy.”
It is designed to produce electricity equivalent to the needs of more than
100,000 homes.
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