YOUR VIEWS: Allt an Tuir Environmental Impact Assessment Report ‘fundamentally flawed’; and a bed tax is commonplace in many countries.
Developer ‘fobbing off’ community over BESS concerns
Letter from William S Lockyer, Inveran.
The Allt An Tuir development here in the Kyle of Sutherland is proposed to consist of nine wind turbines, a 30,000 panel solar array covering 18 hectares and a 12 megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system (BESS).
The Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) submitted by the developer in support of their application is, in my opinion, needlessly long, with replication and duplication.
This EIAR is fundamentally flawed in that it nowhere recognises the safety issues arising from the carriage, installation, commissioning, operation, replacement and decommissioning of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.
The community concerns raised at the so-called consultation events are merely fobbed off with general statements such as: “The type of battery technology for the proposed development would meet all relevant safety and environmental standards”, which go nowhere near addressing those concerns; just stating: “The final choice of battery model will ensure compliance with the above parameters”.
I cannot find anywhere, what the Planning and Energy Policy Statement refers to as the “indicative parameters” which “are considered to represent the realistic worst case scenario in terms of potential environmental effects” from the BESS.
These statements do not recognise the very real risks posed by this technology and the worst case scenario statement cannot be found anywhere in all the paperwork provided.
As a consequence the EIAR cannot be said to have been prepared in accordance with the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (hereafter referred to as the Regulations) which govern the EIAR’s production.
The competence of the so-called experts that are required to prepare the EIAR must be brought into question. They demonstrate no knowledge of any of the safety issues or dangers to the environment of Li-ion batteries. If they have such knowledge, they should show it by addressing the concerns of communities in the EIAR. They simply have not done so.
For detail on the safety issues that should be included in a Battery Energy Safety Plan that has not been provided with the EIAR, please see my article on the new No Ring of Steel Kyle of Sutherland (NORoSKoS) website at noringofsteel.com which should give you all enough matters to object to on this development.
Objections should be sent by March 28 to the Energy Consents Unit at 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8CU or by email to representations@gov.scot, stating the reasons for your objection. You must include your full name and address and the date of your correspondence, quoting reference: ECU00005008.
The local community in the Kyle of Sutherland held a meeting with their constituency MSP, Maree Todd, in Bonar Bridge on February 13.
At this meeting, Ms Todd stated that as she is a Minister within the Scottish Government, it was not possible for her to comment on individual planning applications as this would be considered a breach of the Ministerial code.
I have since discovered that Mairi McAllan, MSP for the Clydesdale constituency, who is the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero
and Energy, has lodged an objection to a BESS in her constituency. I would absolutely commend and support Ms McAllan’s actions here. Her objection can be viewed on the ECU website under reference ECU00004823.
Please see the noringofsteel.com website for details on how to access it. If the current Scottish Government Minister for Net Zero and Energy (who is currently on maternity leave) can object as a constituency MSP, why can our constituency MSP not do the same? I leave it to you to decide the rights and wrongs of our MSP’s position.
Levying a bed tax on tourists is common practice in many countries
Letter from Sir Gavin Gilbey, Dornoch.
Regarding the furore about levying a bed tax on tourists.
Having travelled in 34 countries on four continents over a period of 50+ years I can assure you that this is a common practice in many places.
To put it into perspective... if an American tourist flying over to play golf at the cost of $1000 per diem do you really think he/she will care about a bed tax?
However:
1. Any money raised in this fashion , say in Dornoch for example, must be used for the betterment of Dornoch…. and not ploughed into a wasteful bottomless Highland Council bucket.
2. It should not be a percentage of the accommodation rate but a flat rate of say £3 per night which will not offend anybody.
I have followed the comments of people who object. Frankly they are naive, unrealistic and ill advised with no intellectual facts or intel to back them up.
Small landowners also involved
Letter from Graham Thompson, Forsinard.
I’d like to respond to Lindsay Ward’s letter (‘No rainbow needed for pot of gold’ Northern Times, February 21).
She is of course correct in her assessment, but I’d like to point out that it isn’t only “iconic estates with absentee landlords” seeking the pot of gold and who have a disregard for neighbours.
It’s also ‘small’ landowners. I live in Strath Halladale and we’re about to be inundated with the damned things (wind turbines), if a handful of crofters get their way.
