Skipness Heritage Project

Update email from Tim James, forwarding relevant planning notices

• Please note there are two planning applications closing on the 3rd and 4th of April

EARRAGHAIL - Reponse Due by 3rd of April

ELECTRICITY ACT 1989 SECTION 36 AND SCHEDULE 8: APPLICATION FOR THE PROPOSED EARRAGHAIL RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN THE PLANNING AUTHORITY AREA OF ARGYLL & BUTE COUNCIL.   On 21 February 2022, RSK Consulting on behalf of ScottishPower Renewables (UK) Limited (SPR) (‘the Applicant’) submitted an application under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 (‘the Act’) for the Scottish Ministers’ consent to construct and operate Earraghail Renewable Energy Development, located between the villages of Tarbert to the north east and Skipness to the south, in Argyll & Bute. The proposed development will operate for a 40 year period and consist of 13 turbines at 180 metres and associated infrastructure (generating around 78MW), ground mounted solar photovoltaic array (5 MW) and battery storage (25MW).       In accordance with the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (‘the EIA regulations’) and regulations made under Schedule 8(1) to the Act, a notice detailing the application will be published in the local and national press (Edinburgh Gazette and Scotsman on 25 February 2022, and Argyllshire Advertiser/Campbeltown Courier on 25 February and 4 March 2022).  A copy of the notice, maps and application documents will also be available to view from 25 February 2022 on the Applicant’s project website at: Earraghail Renewable Energy Development - ScottishPower Renewables   The Applicant’s EIA report will be taken into consideration in determining the application. In accordance with the EIA Regulations a consultation in respect of the application must be carried out and you can review the EIA Report and associated documents online from our website which can be found at the following link: https://www.energyconsents.scot/ApplicationDetails.aspx?cr=ECU00003421  or  www.energyconsents.scot – search – simple search – Earraghail Renewable Energy Development (ECU Reference ECU00003421)   Details of the wind turbine co-ordinates, hub height and rotor can be found at: Chapter 3 Proposed development Table 3.2 ’Wind Turbines’ and Volume 3 a Figure 3.3        The closing date for any representation you may wish to make in this case is 3 April 2022. If we have not received your comments by this date, we will assume you have no comments to make.   

You can submit your response by e-mail direct to Econsents_admin@gov.scot.       

ROWAN Wind Response by 4rd of April

THE ELECTRICITY WORKS (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2017   ELECTRICITY ACT 1989 SECTION 36 AND SCHEDULE 8: APPLICATION FOR THE PROPOSED ROWAN WIND FARM IN THE PLANNING AUTHORITY AREA OF ARGYLL & BUTE COUNCIL.   On 3 December 2022, EnergieKontor UK Ltd (‘the Applicant’) submitted an application under section 36 of the Electricity Act 2017 (‘the Act’) for the Scottish Ministers’ consent to construct and operate Rowan Wind Farm development, approximately 4.5km north-west of Tarbert in Argyll & Bute. The proposed development will operate for 35 years and consists of 13 turbines at 200 metres, associated infrastructure and a battery energy storage compound.        In accordance with the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (‘the EIA regulations’) and regulations made under Schedule 8(1) to the Act, a notice detailing the application will be published in the local and national press. In the Edinburgh Gazette (22 February 2022), Argyllshire Advertiser (25 February and 4 March 2022) and in the Herald (21 February 2022). A copy of the Applicant’s notice, maps and Non-Technical summary will be available to view on the Application website at: www.energiekontor.co.uk/our-projects/rowan   The Applicant’s EIA report will be taken into consideration in determining the application. In accordance with the EIA Regulations a consultation in respect of the application must be carried out and you can review the EIA Report and associated documents online from our website which can be found at the following link: Scottish Government - Energy Consents Unit - Application Details    or   www.energyconsents.scot – search – simple search – Rowan Wind Farm (ECU Reference ECU00003230)   Wind turbine details (co-ordinates, hub height and rotor diameter) can be found at: Vol 1 Chapter 3 Project Description at paragraph 3.20 & 3.21.    The closing date for any representation you may wish to make in this case is 4 April 2022.  If we have not received your comments by this date, we will assume you have no comments to make.   You can submit your response by e-mail to Econsents_admin@gov.scot. 

Update from Tim James

Tarbert has for many years suffered a shortage of appropriate social, shared ownership, and affordable housing and even more so in recent years.

On the outskirts of Tarbert, there is an area (part of Escart Farm) that has been designated for housing on Argyll & Bute Council’s local development plan. Tarbert and Skipness Community trust need signatures of local residents from the PA29 postcode to demonstrate support for a community buyout project.

See the associated leaflet. If you are willing to sign in support of this much needed affordable housing contact Tim James. He needs to collect signatures by Monday 10th May.

 The North Kilbrannan Fish Farm beside Cour Bay is in the final stage of planning before Argyll and Bute Council decide whether to grant planning consent.  Public comments close this Friday.  We have obtained new evidence showing serious problems in the planning process. Please help us by submitting an objection and forward this article to anyone else who might want to help.  

We have commissioned a study which shows that azamethiphos and other pollution from the fish farm will flow into Cour Bay (see Cour_E_wind film below).  

Azamethiphos is an organophosphate poison which is very dangerous for humans (see attached Salmosan data sheet).  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have issued a CAR Licence which allows the fish farm to use azamethiphos and other chemicals, but they have admitted that they have not assessed the risk to humans swimming near the fish farm (see the EIR Freedom of Information Request below – bottom of page 2 and top of page 3). 

This means that SEPA have failed to comply with The Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 which requires them to assess the impact on other marine users before issuing a CAR Licence.  

As a result, the Council may grant planning consent based on faulty and mis-leading evidence from the regulatory authorities. This problem also applies to every fish farm in Scotland which is near to other water users.  

The headline film with this article shows pollution and pink slime being pumped into the sea at the Carradale fish farm, in case you have never seen one in operation.

We need your help by objecting to the Council about the pollution from the fish farm, telling them that they must reject this fish farm on grounds of public safety and bad neighbour policy and if they don’t, it deserves to go to judicial review.

Objections need to be in your own words but please do give a reason to add weight to your objection there are some examples below you could select ones relevant to you:

• Local resident / regular visitor to the area & care about Scotland’s environment.
• SEPA has admitted that they did not assess the impact of organophosphates & other pollution on swimmers & other recreational users before they issued a CAR Licence for this fish farm.
• SEPA has failed to comply with the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 which requires them to assess the impact on other marine users before issuing a CAR Licence.
• You could reference the study which shows how pollution including organophosphates from the fish farm will accumulate in and around Cour Bay.
• Highlight that the product information for azamethiphos shows that it is hazardous to humans and should not be released into the environment.

Closing date for comments to Argyll and Bute Council is 19 Feb.  

Harry Nickerson, Cour Kintyre