Machrihanish Offshore Windfarm

[Kintyre Forum News]

Are the proposed turbines built in Campbeltown?

No



This is another assumed statement as the project is not yet at planning stage let alone tender. There is a strong possibility that the tower sections will be manufactured locally as Welcon cater for all the main players who will be tendering for this.

Apologies A15 NMA, I mistakenly mis-read the original question as "Are the proposed turbines guaranteed to be built in Campbeltown"

You are correct I should have said "There is NO guarantee". Like you I did however, think it isn't even that far down the line yet. I have corrected my original statement.

(I could however, cover my backside, and say my answer is correct as if they are to be built locally it won't actually be in Campbeltown )

[mrsbagpuss]

Am I correct in saying Peninver Village Hall is a product of windfarm trust money? Very nice it is too
I expect that cost a few pennies to construct.

[Ags]

MrsBagpuss,you are correct when you say "not everyone goes to Machrihanish for the view".I was there last week and never gave it look.

That's a bit of a bizarre statement Bill - did you have your eyes closed?? Even if you "don't come to Machrihanish for the view" you can hardly miss it

[mrn]

mrn, To clarify - I said 'Maybe' and it was a question, not a statement. just a simple suggestion, pardon me. If the turbines go ahead, you are expecting all the cash to be reinvested in machrihanish then? Thats community spirit........ I dont even live in Campbeltown, it was just some examples.

Everyone is so quick to attack if you seem to be willing to believe in the fact that this project might well happen, it doesnt seem there is much room for any discussion of the possibility of how things can be if the project is granted. Trying to look to the advantages of the situation if the proposal goes ahead does not automatically mean I or anyone who is involved in it was firmly in the 'for' camp. Might it just be useful to make the most of a situation, if you can't stop it from happening.

mrsbagpuss - that wasn't an attack on you. Your original statement certainly read as being supportive of the proposals and saying what could be done with the money. My reply was merely to put things into context. The money won't go far.

Think Machrihanish is the one who will have to live with the proposals if it goes ahead so you would think the money would be re-invested there? (well, at least to start with) While it is worthwhile looking at potential advantages I think people should look at the proposals first and think about the impact on Machrihanish? Don't know where you actually stay but I would certainly feel for you if you stayed on the shore and there were proposals to build 105 wind turbines outside your house.

[wizzie]

Just found a newspaper cutting, 2 page spread, that I held onto with regards to Offshore windfarms - The Scotsman Thursday 20 May 2010, did anyone read it? Makes interesting reading, to quote

'a spokewoman for the Crown Estate, which controls the seabed, welcomed the conclusion that there were no signicficant environmental barriers to offshore wind developement in the ten sites around the coast'

According to the article '25 new sites have been earmarked by the Scottish Government for the development of offshore wind farms, Stretching all around the coast of Scotland the sites would cover up to 12,000 square miles of sea. They have been identified as possible sites where huge wind farms can be built after 2020.

The Environment Secretary Richard Lockhead who launched a 12 week consultation into a report at the All Energy Conference in Aberdeen on 19 May 2010 said 'it marked a major step in commitment to make Scotland a powerhouse of renewable energy in Europe.'

A map indicates that 10 short term optional sites stretching from the coast line of Dumfries and Galloway Solway Firth, Machrihanish, West coast of Islay, South tip of Tiree, East of the Dornoch Firth and the Firth of Fourth.

The other 15 sites earmarked as Medium Term options stretch right round the entire coastline from the Solway Firth, 2 large areas marked on the map off Kintyre one off the south tip of Arran and the other indicates an area at the South tip of Kintyre, North West coast of Islay, Tiree, The outer Hebrides, The North coast of Scotland and it looks as if Orkney and Shetland are completely surrounded by turbines.

The articles was written by jfyall@scotsman.com if anyone is interested in contacting him/her, he/she seems to know what they are taking about and quotes statistics for a 'Green future'. I have to say in the 'comment page' he/she writes 'To get Scotland to what would, of course, be a position which would be beneficial, we would have to litter the seas with turbines,wave machines and tidal generators and spend billions of pounds every year.'

I hope someone from the Machrihanish committe will read this because it looks as if Kintyre and other area of Scotland will have a massive fight on their hands to prevent our waters being polluted by huge visual intrusions. The Scottish Government has pleged to generate 20 per cent of all energy and 50 per cent of electricity from renewable resources by 2020. The Government do not quote any groups who would object to this [it looks as if it's already written in stone] but a spokespersons from the Scottish Fishermans Federation said. ' it is imperative that a primary food producing industry, harvesting a sustainable renewable resource will not be forgotten as the new industires develop.'

[A15 NMA]

FYI

The "short term" areas which wizzie talks about above are "Round 3" projects (5 on the East coast & 5 on the West coast) Those areas all have an approved lease for development. Apparently the only thing which will deny these projects the go ahead is an extremely rare find of some unknown marine life

[John A]

Am I correct in saying Peninver Village Hall is a product of windfarm trust money? Very nice it is too
I expect that cost a few pennies to construct.

No you are incorrect, the hall was funded by local fundraising and European grant money.

[mrsbagpuss]

JohnA - ok, I was wrongly told that this afternoon then! Anyways what has the money been spent on, do you know this? Obviously what exists at Tangy, Deuchran and Ben an Turc (please dont pull me up on my spelling here ) is small scale compared to what is proposed so its not really a comparable situation, but I'm still interested to know? thanks

[easypeasy]

What have the local employment benefits been in the three sites that are now operational in Kintyre

[S6MMF]

The current sites employment benefits (directly) are 10 people who each have ful time jobs as well as additional sub-contractural works during increase working periods

[Stone Cold aka Doags Bs]

Someone posted earlier about the power being generated onto the Northern Irlenad grid, but I believe one of the reasons for the Kintyre-Hunterston link is to help accomodate the new turbines.

[bud]

Bud,maybe now you will have to concede that not everyone thinks the idea is stupid.Different people have different views.Always has been always will be.If not then you would not have a forum.

just goes to show you how stupid some people are then

[mcpherson35]

The current sites employment benefits (directly) are 10 people who each have ful time jobs as well as additional sub-contractural works during increase working periods

Would you know if these were new posts taken by local people, or jobs filled by experienced people moving to the area, explicity for the post?

I've seen these things happen on numerous occasions through previous jobs. Firms are offered jobs on the basis of what they promise to bring to the local community in terms of grants and employment. They seldom deliver sustainable change, and will sell their grannie down the river to convice the pen pushers and bean shufflers.

I am all for making this planet a better place, and the idea of a massive boost for the Kintyre area is fantastic news. I am just not convinced of the merits for either camp. Is the jury not still out on just how efficient & useful wind energy is? How many real jobs is the project worth.

Would I also be right in saying its close proximty to Machrihanish is purely based on saving money?

I am surprised at SNP allowing projects like this. They seem intent on ruining our natural beauty. Look at Trumps estate in Aberdeen.

[easypeasy]

Are the current sites employment benifits 10 local people

[jowett63]

S6MMF - I heartily welcome your informative other side of the coin observations - they have made me go and do a lot of digging for information on this subject which few of us have had reason to worry about until now.
The action committee is writing to the Community Councils along the Solway Firth to see how much economic development has occured there as a result of the Robin Rigg Windfarm and what the reality of the now complete farm is compared to the original predictions. We will post the totality of their response on the Facebook site and put a link here.
You may well be correct about the futility of resistance to this blinkered flight towards wave power, but Scots love a lost cause - that's why we have such a large tartan Army following here! The time may well come when the cause is lost and the only recourse is to tryand strike the best bargain we can with the profit driven despoilers of our wonderful coastline....but that time is not yet!

I understand that a number of different consents are required and that one of them under European Law requires that such developments do not have a disproportionate impact on local communities. It is the vast scale and incredibly close proximity of this inshore windfarm that gives hope that this deleterious impact can be shown and this encroachment defeated. It should also be stressed that it is not just Machrihanish that will be directly impacted, but Drumlemble, Sound of Kintyre, Westport, Bellochantuy and A'Chleit and the wider Kintyre Peninsular from the economic fallout on tourist and leisure industries that are here now as a reality and not the pie in the sky promises of jam tomorrow that the energy company will inevitably dangle in front of folk who value gold above gladness. The sad thing is that if the development was a on the scale and as far distant as Robin Rigg is to the villages of Nithsdale, then this community would probably not mind at all...but it is not. It is not in our back yard, but in our front yard chapping on the door and shouting loudly "Can I ruin the lives of your communities for £50k a year please??!!".

There is no guarantee any jobs will be created in Welcon, there is no guarantee the onshore support and link to the grid sites will come via kintyre, there is no guarantee the airbase will be used to ferry folk out to the sites, there is no guarantee local boats will be used to maintain or support the things (not that you need boats,,,,they are so close you could almost walk out at low tide). What is guaranteed is that 105 gigantic windmills will blight the gorgeous views and gobsmacking sunsets of west kintyre and so rob the place of its spiritual wonder...turning it from nature into industry overnight. So even if all the benefots you relate were to come to pass, it would not be enough to replace what we would lose.

However what is guaranteed is that 70 square kilometres of this thriving INSHORE coast will be subject to the exclusion orders and controls that were imposed at Robin Rigg. Leisure sailers, inshore fishermen and yes Surfers will be impacted. You were wrong to be dismissive of the potential impact on the swell of so many huge and densely concentrated piles in such a shallow inshore. But the circle is easily squared, SSE could pay more, cut their profits a bit and put less of them further out to sea. Only corporate greed a la BP prevents this.

The other night I stood in my back garden and could see only stars and hear only the rumble of the surf. If we surrender, then in 4 years time I will see only a gaudy array of navigation lights and the disonant droning whoosh of the blades. Nature or industry? i thought windfarms were supposed to help preserve such wonders.