Update email from Tim James, forwarding relevant planning notices
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.
Tarbert and Skipness Community Council (TSCC) are submitting an objection to the proposed Earraghail Renewable Energy Development (RED). As a Community Council their mandate is to represent the views of the community.
You can provide your view by completing the short online questionnaire. Click below by 20th of May.
More information has been provided by TSCC in the factsheet below. You can also download a printable version of the questionnaire (hard copies need to be submitted by 11th of May).
Update from Bill McHugh -18th July 2021
Sorry for the delay in giving you an update.
You may well have seen a headline in the local paper, I’m afraid in the words of Trump, this is false news and the situation is as follows.
I have spoken with the Scottish Land Fund; they are the body who will decide if the project goes ahead thereby releasing the funding for the purchase of the shop.
Because we have a willing seller then it makes the process slightly quicker. In principle they are saying it is the type of project they would fund.
Tarbert and Skipness Community Trust Board of Directors on the 7th of July approved the request that they be the vehicle for taking the idea of reopening the shop forward.
TSCT are in the process of updating their articles of association so no funding application can be made until these have been approved by the various bodies. This does not hold up the process too much as they are nearing the end of the process and awaiting approval from the various bodies including the Land fund.
The next stage is to apply to HIE for the funding to carry out the following:
An up-to-date valuation of the buildings and land.
Employ a consultant to help with drawing up an options appraisal and feasibility plan. Assist in a formal community consultation process. Assist in the process through the SLF and Funding bodies.
An Architect to appraise how best the buildings can be utilized and a cost for the work required. Structural Engineer and Quantity Surveyor to help develop the cost of doing the work.
As I see it, there are a couple of possibilities, subject to the feasibility and options appraisal. And the input from the Architect and other professionals.
Once purchased the property both shop and house are extended and renovated. Or they are demolished and rebuilt to a decent habitable property and a more self-contained shop. The idea behind reusing the house, as a house, means we may attract a greater pool of interested applicants. Hither to, the arrangement on the estates was that Claonaig provided the shop as it sits on their land, Skipness provided the house. We are all aware accommodation in the immediate vicinity is fairly limited.
The process of finding potential candidates would run alongside the process of purchase and renovation so that someone was ready to take over the premises as soon as possible after completion of the project. There are already interested parties in running the shop.
The property will be leased to the successful applicant with the proviso that the basic needs of the community are catered for, first, thereafter they are free to run the shop in whatever way they wish whatever they need to do to earn a living. It may well be we can establish the Post Office also.
My biggest concern is that once all of this has been done and we have a shop, we do not find an applicant or it falls through in some way. Currently I have had an expression of interest from one couple.
It will be unlikely I feel but I must think about a contingency plan. There has been a suggestion of a portacabin with vending type machines at the back of the store instead of opening the shop back up, I don’t think that would fly but would be a good backup plan IN THE SHOP if all else fails.
If anyone has any suggestions then please let me know and they can be put into the mix.
I have a number of people who are willing to help and will call upon them as and when.
Will keep you abreast as and when things develop.
Comments to Bill McHugh mchugh1951@outlook.com
This is a content preview space you can use to get your audience interested in what you have to say so they can’t wait to learn and read more. Pull out the most interesting detail that appears on the page and write it here.
We are pleased to confirm we have completed all 2nd Covid -19 vaccinations of our patients over 18 years old. The vaccination uptake was an excellent 96.5% for second doses. Any remaining patients who still wish a vaccination please contact us so we can arrange for you to be vaccinated elsewhere. We anticipate Covid booster vaccinations will start in late September and we await government guidance on under 18 vaccinations. Many thanks to all for the cooperation in helping us complete in a timely fashion. Even with the community double dosed, it is still very important to continue to be cautious and follow NHS Inform Scotland advice as restrictions ease.
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.
To show your support you need to be resident in a PA29 postcode and registered to vote.
Please message Tim James via email below or call him so he can arrange to collect your signature.
Update from Tim James
The six Community Councils of the Kintyre Peninsula and the neighbouring South Knapdale Community Council are saying “Enough is Enough” in the face of increasing numbers of complex planning applications from windfarm developers which will more than double the number of operational windfarms on Kintyre and scar Kintyre’s wild and beautiful landscapes with clusters of gigantic 230 metre (750ft) wind turbines, with little regard for the people who live and work here.
“An Alarming Trend” - They have also seen an alarming trend among some developers who don’t want to pay communities the Scottish Government voluntary community benefit (£5,000 per megawatt installed per annum) or offer effective and fair community shared ownership schemes. These ‘recommended’ schemes need to become mandatory.
Legislation - Woefully inadequate and No Longer Fit for Purpose - The legislation that governs renewable energy developments and infrastructure (sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989) results in applications that are incredibly lengthy; highly technical; full of jargon and technical concepts that are virtually impossible for community councillors to understand and evaluate. It only requires minimal community engagement by developers. It is woefully inadequate and is no longer fit for purpose.
Jobs – From Hope to Despair - Kintyre’s wind turbine manufacturing plant at Machrihanish once offered the hope of 100+ skilled jobs to this economically challenged area. However, after changing owners several times it is now mothballed.
Windfarms offer few if any local jobs other than those created by our communities with Community Benefit Funding.
A Plan Of Action - The Combined Community Councils are asking the Scottish Government to implement a plan of action as follows:-
Our Communities are asking “Will the Scottish Government support these reasonable proposals and ensure a fairer balance between the needs for greener power and the needs of the remote and rural populations who live and work in the lands needed to generate it?”
Kintyre Peninsula – Factsheet.
Population: approx. 8000
Households in Fuel Poverty:
Number of working-age people per person over 65
Number of Wind Turbines on Kintyre -
Number of Wind Turbines on Knapdale
Size of Wind Turbines
You can download the request sent from the community councils of Kintyre below.
Kintyre Community Councils Call for Halt to Windfarm Development_ (docx)
DownloadThe 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:
Closing date for comments to Argyll and Bute Council is 19 Feb.
Harry Nickerson, Cour Kintyre
Please email your objection to: planning.hq@argyll-bute.gov.uk quoting planning reference 20/01345/MFF – NORTH KILBRANNAN FISH FARM.
Raise concerns about
Although we are not officially on lockdown as in England the new tiered system in Scotland is now in force. Even at protection level zero it is worth noting that restrictions still apply. I have done my best to identify the key points here but I have also provided links on the right to Tier system level guides and a link so you can always find out the latest level for Argyll and Bute.
0 = The closest to normal but there are still restrictions on socialising
1 = No in-home socialising minor changes to hospitality and leisure
2 = No in-home socialising wider changes to hospitality and leisure
3 = No in-home socialising, severe hospitality restrictions, leisure closed.
4 = No in-home socialising, Hospitality, leisure and non essential retail closed.
10/01 Update on Earraghail Consultation
Given the restrictions and issues of the festive period the Consultation period has been extended until 22nd of January. Public Information Event on the proposals is available online on the project website.
As our local community councillor Tim James has brought this proposed development to our attention as it directly affects Skipness. It is in early scoping phase at present but it is important any community response engages as soon as possible. The deadline for consultation passed on 05 of June however Tim has managed to get an extension until 27 June. This is not far away now so anyone with thoughts should forward them to Tim who alongside Rupert is putting together a response.
Please read the proposal information provided in the specific information point below this notice, discuss and provide responses to Tim. For speed and due to COVID-19 I have created an online response form. For those whose emails we have I have emailed this form to you, otherwise please click the link on the right to complete it.
Please note your responses and comments and any contact information you provide will be made available to Tim to use in his response, alternatively you can email him using tim@skipnesssmokehouse.com .
Under regulation 12, Scottish Ministers are required to provide a scoping opinion outlining the information they consider should be included in the EIA report. Ministers are also required to consult the relevant consultation bodies and any other interested party which is likely to have an interest in the proposed development by reason of its specific environmental responsibilities or local and regional competencies.
(Adapted for our purpose)
To allow Scottish Ministers to provide a comprehensive scoping opinion, we are being asked to review the scoping report and advise on our concerns of the scope of the environmental impact assessment for this proposal (directly below). In our response we should include any further matters we would like Ministers to highlight for consideration and inclusion in the assessment, particularly site specific information.
The proposed development is for:
In light of the currently evolving COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation in the UK, Carradale Surgery is taking some preventative measures to help protect our community.
We are encouraging contact by way of telephone, email or using our letterbox in the side door for paper correspondence.
Appointments
In order to minimise the spread of the virus, we are triaging all requests for appointments. and encouraging patients to engage in telephone consultations for the time being, rather than attending the surgery for ‘face-to-face’ appointments. If the clinician then decides it is necessary for you to be seen in clinic, this will be arranged for you.
We have locked our main entrance, allowing entry only to attend essential appointments, thus limiting the number of patients in our waiting room at one time.
Medication Requests
Please email Carradale.surgery@nhs.net (preferable), call (01583 431376) or post through the letterbox at the left-hand side of the building.
Medication Collection
Carradale Medication:
Please collect your medication 48 hours after ordering and between the hours of 2:00 pm and 4:30pm from Carradale Surgery. Ring the doorbell if collecting a repeat prescription.
We would ask that everyone understands and appreciates our reasons for implementing the above measures; we have the best interests of our entire community in mind and are keen to minimise the risk of infection to as many patients as possible.
Skipness Medication:
Skipness Village Hall will be open from 1:30pm to 1:45pm every Wednesday for the near future, for patients to be able collect their medication,
Medication will be placed on tables in the Hall. A member of staff will be present to ensure that the correct prescriptions are collected.
Due to the present climate the prescriptions will not need to be signed for on receipt of the medication.
If the patient is unable to collect the prescription, a relative, a carer or friend would be able to collect the medication for the patient.
Please will everyone attending comply to social distancing advice . Please make sure that only one person enters the hall at one time. and the distance of 2 meters or the length of a broom stick between each person even outside the hall.
If any medication is not collected in that time they will be returned to Carradale surgery for collection there.
Hand Gel
PLEASE USE HAND GEL WHEN ENTERING AND EXITING THE BUILDING.
For those who have concerns with regard to whether or not they may currently be at risk of Coronavirus, please visit NHS 111 (https://111.nhs.uk/) which has a very helpful dedicated ‘Online Coronavirus Service’. This can also be accessed from our own practice website: https://www.carradalesurgery.co.uk.
The files below can be directly accessed from source,the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit website www.energyconsents.scot by:
- click on Search tab; then,
- clicking on Simple Search tab; then,
- typing Earraghail Renewable Energy Development into Search by Project Name box then clicking on Go;
- then clicking on ECU00002062 and then click on Documents tab.
Due to Corona Virus there will be a delay in Recycling collections which will not take place in the Skipness area until at least the 6th of May.
For residents of Skipness village who do not wish their recycling to go into landfill but do not have adequate outside storage, we can store your recycling in one of our old byres. Simply leave your recycling outside over the next few days and if you can email Colin on col@peechie.co.uk. We will come and collect it.
Tim and Fran at the Smokehouse are still able to supply produce from the smokehouse shop.
Parcels can be left outside for collection or they are happy to deliver. As well as their own smoked products the shop does also stock: Milk, Cheese, Jam, Honey, Mustard, Oatcakes etc.
Currently Smoked Undyed Whiting and Smoked Duck are also available.
Call on 01880 760378 or use website link below.
The Co-op in Tarbert has set aside the following hours for vulnerable customers and carers during this time.
Mon to Sat 8am to 9am
Sunday 10am to 11am
For residents of Skipness, Sam and Colin McKee are happy to get essentials weekly shops for any neighbours - self isolating or simply reducing their trips out due to concerns over the Corona Virus. We will be doing 2 shops per week on a Tuesday and Friday afternoon and bags will be left outside your door. You can call Sam on 07816 837747 or email your requirements to sam@peechie.co.uk.
Key things to help:
Rag Bag Collections for June raised £24 for the village hall. Many thanks to everyone who put unwanted items in the recycling bin at the school. Next Collection 1st October 9am.
Click on a file to download.
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