Speaking on the announcement of dates for the next stage of the Scottish Land Court’s consideration of the proposed Stornoway Wind Farm, Will Collins, LWP Project Manager, said:
“The Stornoway Wind Farm would be located across a number of common grazings and we – as any developer would be – are required to obtain approval from the Land Court in order to protect the interests of the crofting community. The hearing next month is simply the latest stage in this process which has been followed by a number of other wind farm developments, including Beinn Ghrideag Wind Farm.
“LWP’s application being considered by the Land Court provides for payments to crofters in recognition of the limited impact on access to a small proportion of the overall grazings, and the Court’s role will be to assess the fairness of the package we have developed in close consultation with local grazings and their advisers.
“80 per cent of those who were entitled to object raised no objection.
“In addition to our Land Court application we are working closely with the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the democratically-run community landlord, The Stornoway Trust, to ensure a significant community shareholding in the Stornoway Wind Farm and our Uisenis Wind Farm. We believe the stake on offer would make the council and the Trust the largest community investors in wind power anywhere in the UK and would deliver several million pounds each year to be invested by the community in the things that matter to people on the islands – over and above the community benefit payments from the two projects.”