Shetland windfarm - Viking Energy

[JustMe]

Rasmie wrote

Been trying to sit on the fence the VE wind farm.

Fence?......is there a plan to fence the windfarm?. We should be told!!!.

 

Seriously we should be told about any restrictions on access either during the construction phase or afterwards. Another aspect that may swing individual opinions.

[Infiltrator]

 

The one thing we have going for us up here (and its not just myself) - great natural beauty ! Otherwise we may as well go and live in the city.

 

This is the point I've been harking on about throughout this thread - it's Shetlands rugged natural beauty that makes it so unique.

As for Alan Wishart claiming tourists wouldn't be bothered by the windmills - how delusional can you get? Shetlands biggest untapped resource is tourism.

Couple of good letters on SN today from Billy Fox and Allen Fraser - odds are stacking up nicely against this ludicrous project

[ascoyard]

Exactly tourists come here for these very reasons, to get away from it all,back to see the natural world unspoilt and undeveloped .Where i used to live they built 30 windmills but planted them about a mile out to sea.still got a lot of opposition from the locals but at least they kept them all in one place out of the way.

[OriginalUsername]

Seriously we should be told about any restrictions on access either during the construction phase or afterwards. Another aspect that may swing individual opinions.

 

I'm copying and pasting in parts from the EIA here so excuse the overtly official language:

 

Walking is a popular recreational activity in Shetland and access is not restricted under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Scottish Access Code. However, at the moment there aren’t many who choose to visit the more remote areas of our landscape. In Shetland the majority of recreational walking is undertaken on promoted routes which are primarily located near the coast.

 

The area of the proposed Viking wind farm does not currently overlap with any of the recreational walking routes or core paths promoted by Visit Shetland and the Shetland Countryside Access Strategy. The area is also not a priority area for most tourists interested in visiting locations of cultural or wildlife interest. Therefore the area is not promoted and used routinely by walkers and cyclists at present. Because of this, Viking Energy’s Environmental Impact Assessment concludes that the effects of access restrictions to recreational walkers at the site of the Viking wind farm are expected to be of minor significance.

 

However, there are some recreational walkers who currently pursue areas which are not as popular with other walkers; areas such as the site of the proposed wind farm.

 

During construction, intermittent restrictions on informal access to the wind farm site are expected to occur on reasonable health and safety grounds. However, these restrictions are planned to be temporary and of a short duration. The scheduled timescale of the construction programme is five years but only particular areas of the overall site will be restricted at any moment. There is no realistic suggestion that the entire Central Mainland will be inaccessible for 5 years. Following the completion of construction in any area, access restrictions will be lifted.

 

Once the wind farm is operational, it is expected that there will be no specific restrictions on access. Buildings and turbines will be secured but there are no proposals for any other physical barriers. In fact, the Viking wind farm development, if built, will introduce a network of access tracks which, appropriately planned, managed and promoted through an access management plan (which we have committed to) could actually play a role in positively promoting new walking and cycling routes within Shetland. I can confirm that vehicular access would be restricted.

 

Access restrictions are not expected throughout the operational phase of the wind farm but in the event that major maintenance operations are required, warning signage will be posted advising the public of the locations, scale and duration of maintenance activities, in a similar fashion to the method used during construction and decommissioning. Obviously these would be for very short time spans.

 

A visual impact assessment for walking routes near the area was also performed as part of Viking’s EIA. It was concluded that, of 20 walking routes, only four would be impacted visually both during construction and operation phases. One of these four would undergo a significant change in view, another would have a very noticeable change and the other two just a noticeable change.

 

A review by Glasgow Caledonian University (2008) was used to assess possible perceptions of wind farms by recreational walkers. The review found that most hill walkers held positive views on wind farms and hill walkers were more positive than the general public (45% favourable versus 39%). Where hill walkers indicated a negative attitude to wind farms the percentage within the sample was lower than the comparative within the general public. (19% negative for hill walkers against 25% negative generally).

 

The findings of the review also showed that there is often strong hostility to developments at the planning stage on the grounds of the scenic impact and the perceived knock on effect on tourism but over time hostility to wind farms lessens and they become an accepted even valued part of the scenery.

 

A map of currently promoted walking/cycling routes and National Scenic Areas alongside the proposed turbine locations and access tracks and the rest of Viking Energy’s Environmental Impact Assessment can be viewed online at www.vikingenergy.co.uk Figure 19.2 in the Our Documents section is the most relevant plan. http://www.vikingenergy.co.uk/files/Figure%2019.2%20Walking%20and%20Cycling%20Routes.pdf

 

Hope that's helpful

[OriginalUsername]

Exactly tourists come here for these very reasons, to get away from it all,back to see the natural world unspoilt and undeveloped .Where i used to live they built 30 windmills but planted them about a mile out to sea.still got a lot of opposition from the locals but at least they kept them all in one place out of the way.

 

According to the Shetland Visitor Survey 2005/2006:

 

The top 4 reasons why people visit Shetland:

 

Work/Business/Meetings: 32%

Visiting friends and relatives: 15%

Birds/Wildlife/Nature/Flora: 5%

Scenery/Landscape: 4%

 

And the tourist industry represents 4.9% of Shetland's overall economy.

 

So, let's say that all the tourists who visit on the basis of the scenery and the wildlife stop doing so. Then we lose 0.441% of our economy. Not a massive amount. Significant for those who work in the industry, yes - but there are other avenues of promotion and there will still be plenty of areas of "unspoilt" beauty.

 

And that's saying that they all decide they won't come because of the wind farm. So, what does the Shetland Visitor Survey have to say on how visits to the island could be improved...

 

Hmm, well, out of 23 different options for response, it appears that "keep it unspoilt" comes in at number 20, behind things as improving walking access (see above) and less expensive travel (oh those fossil fuels! if we don't start producing renewable energy... guess what happens to the price of a finite source needed for travel).

 

And then of course we have to factor in the potential for green tourism. Whitelee is currently not accepting visitors because there have been TOO many! Phone them - try booking a tour. They're booked up at the moment. Green tourism is an opportunity.

 

Let's all stop reacting based on our feelings (this will RUIN our island, how could people EVER want to come here again?!) and do a bit of research instead.

[unlinkedstudent]

Statistics can be read and created to suit the end need.

 

Whilst the above refers to figures for 2005/2006 and the above post does put forward some interesting facts, I humbly suggest that research is undertaken putting forward the simple question "Would a large windfarm deter you from visiting Shetland? Answers Yes/No."

[OriginalUsername]

This is the last in my post barage... I promise

 

Two things have been bothering me lately - the oft repeated phrase: "fit for scale, fit for purpose" and the line about "wind farms should be built near the areas of high consumption."

 

Shetland uses a MASSIVE amount of fossil fuels. Maybe not directly on the electricity grid, but we are far higher than the average UK public per head on heating, transport, travel, industry, energy required for food and manufactured goods etc. We ARE an area of high consumption.

 

Shetland uses on average about 2 billion units of energy per year. The VE wind farm would produce about 2 billion units of energy per year.

 

So what if the energy we use isn't all on the electrical grid? We're still using it.

 

To me, the Viking wind farm is most certainly fit for scale (as the scale of our energy consumption warrants this size of development) and fit for purpose (if the purpose is to be "sustainable" as Sustainable Shetland claim).

[OriginalUsername]

Statistics can be read and created to suit the end need.

 

Whilst the above refers to figures for 2005/2006 and the above post does put forward some interesting facts, I humbly suggest that research is undertaken putting forward the simple question "Would a large windfarm deter you from visiting Shetland? Answers Yes/No."

 

A very good point with which I wholeheartedly agree!

 

You fancy undertaking the survey?

 

I imagine if VE did it we'd all have to shout at them for "wasting public money" investigating the project!

 

I'm just jestin.

[JustMe]

Think I would want to have some sort of clear definition of "reasonable health and safety grounds" which in construction terms all to often turns into "keep the public out to protect our equipment" which is not the same thing at all. And I am no where near convinced that a network of access roads among the wind turbines constitutes much of an asset for walkers and cyclists.

[OriginalUsername]

I don't know about the definition there unfortunately. Just quoting away. Maybe you could phone up VE and ask David Thomson or Aaron Priest about it? It'd take very little time for them to answer your questions. I know, I've asked things myself!

 

As for the access roads - I guess that's a matter of opinion - the many cyclists and walkers currently utilising the roads around Whitelee would probably disagree - but obviously it's all about subjective opinion.

 

Alreet... I'm gonna shud up now better actually get on with my work!

[ArabiaTerra]

Something else that has to be considered concerning the tourism. At the moment, air travel and shipping are not subject to environmental taxation due to the difficulty of getting agreements internationally. How long do you expect this to continue?

 

I fully expect this to be remedied at Copenhagen in December this year when the successor to Kyoto is negotiated. I reckon this will have a far larger impact on tourism than any windfarm.

[unlinkedstudent]

Statistics can be read and created to suit the end need.

 

Whilst the above refers to figures for 2005/2006 and the above post does put forward some interesting facts, I humbly suggest that research is undertaken putting forward the simple question "Would a large windfarm deter you from visiting Shetland? Answers Yes/No."

 

A very good point with which I wholeheartedly agree!

 

You fancy undertaking the survey?

 

I imagine if VE did it we'd all have to shout at them for "wasting public money" investigating the project!

 

I'm just jestin.

 

LOL, as a self-employed bod who runs a secretarial/typing business, I would be delighted to tender for such a project. Blimey, the skills I learnt all those years ago regarding research would come in handy and my PG Dip wouldn't be such a waste of money then! Oooh, throw a few more questions in - now would ya like quantitive only or qualitative research thrown into the mix?

 

However, I do have my principles and if said windfarm did go ahead; I make no apologies and would NOT be prepared to undertake work for them on the windfarm.

[unlinkedstudent]

Something else that has to be considered concerning the tourism. At the moment, air travel and shipping are not subject to environmental taxation due to the difficulty of getting agreements internationally. How long do you expect this to continue?

 

I fully expect this to be remedied at Copenhagen in December this year when the successor to Kyoto is negotiated. I reckon this will have a far larger impact on tourism than any windfarm.

 

Are they? What is fuel duty then? If you include electricity used at airports, then that is subject to a fuel tax as set by the EU which is classed as an environmental tax.

[Infiltrator]

Exactly tourists come here for these very reasons, to get away from it all,back to see the natural world unspoilt and undeveloped .Where i used to live they built 30 windmills but planted them about a mile out to sea.still got a lot of opposition from the locals but at least they kept them all in one place out of the way.

 

According to the Shetland Visitor Survey 2005/2006:

 

The top 4 reasons why people visit Shetland:

 

Work/Business/Meetings: 32%

Visiting friends and relatives: 15%

Birds/Wildlife/Nature/Flora: 5%

Scenery/Landscape: 4%

 

And the tourist industry represents 4.9% of Shetland's overall economy.

 

So, let's say that all the tourists who visit on the basis of the scenery and the wildlife stop doing so. Then we lose 0.441% of our economy. Not a massive amount. Significant for those who work in the industry, yes - but there are other avenues of promotion and there will still be plenty of areas of "unspoilt" beauty.

 

And that's saying that they all decide they won't come because of the wind farm. So, what does the Shetland Visitor Survey have to say on how visits to the island could be improved...

 

Hmm, well, out of 23 different options for response, it appears that "keep it unspoilt" comes in at number 20, behind things as improving walking access (see above) and less expensive travel (oh those fossil fuels! if we don't start producing renewable energy... guess what happens to the price of a finite source needed for travel).

 

And then of course we have to factor in the potential for green tourism. Whitelee is currently not accepting visitors because there have been TOO many! Phone them - try booking a tour. They're booked up at the moment. Green tourism is an opportunity.

 

Let's all stop reacting based on our feelings (this will RUIN our island, how could people EVER want to come here again?!) and do a bit of research instead.

 

I said tourism was Shetlands largest 'untapped' resource. The problem at the moment is that travel to Shetland is so expensive that the majority of visitors to Shetland only visit because they have a good reason - work, relatives, etc. They key to tapping into this resource is to make the travel affordable. I'm up shortly and £600+ return on the ferry is extracting the urine. Yes my family could've slept in the bar and we could've hired a 5 year old Renault Clio for £30/day to keep the costs down but....

 

p.s. I'm effectively a tourist now - build the windfarm and I'll be heading to the Western Isles for my taste of undeveloped unspoilt landscape

[Michael]

I said tourism was Shetlands largest 'untapped' resource. The problem at the moment is that travel to Shetland is so expensive that the majority of visitors to Shetland only visit because they have a good reason - work, relatives, etc. They key to tapping into this resource is to make the travel affordable. I'm up shortly and £600+ return on the ferry is extracting the urine. Yes my family could've slept in the bar and we could've hired a 5 year old Renault Clio for £30/day to keep the costs down but....

 

p.s. I'm effectively a tourist now - build the windfarm and I'll be heading to the Western Isles for my taste of undeveloped unspoilt landscape

 

You can't separate the geographical location from the high cost of getting here. I love Shetland and I completely agree it's a beautiful place but it is incredibly awkward for tourists to get to.

 

Apart from the fact we're an island, the fact that the ferry is In Aberdeen is inconvenient. No offence to aberdonians whatsoever, but Aberdeen isn't really a tourist hotspot for Scotland, and neither is anything all that close to it. Tourists who are visiting Scotland and going to places like inverness and Edinburgh don't really have that much incentive to come here when you put into perspective who far away it is and how much extra it will cost.

 

The majority of people who come to Shetland do so on a specific trip, and already know about it. Those are the people we've essentially sold ourselves well to, but considering that Shetland gets quite good attention for it's size I don't think making more people aware we exist is really a viable option.