Harbour Authority to flag up “factual inaccuracies” within Scottish Government consultation document

The OIC Harbour Authority Sub-committee has given its backing to a Harbour Authority response pointing out “factual inaccuracies and glaring omissions” within the latest Scottish Government National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) consultation document in relation to Orkney.

The Scottish Government consultation document, which is a review of the National Planning Framework, fails on a number of essential elements, according to the team at Harbours and they are calling for changes to be made.

The main issues include:

• omission of marine strategic connections to/from Orkney, in particular the missing marine strategic links between Orkney and Shetland and Aberdeen;
• omission of projects and details contained within the approved Orkney Harbour Masterplan Phase 1, in particular the proposed developments at Scapa Deep Water Quay, Lyness, Stromness and Hatston and how they already meet the criteria to be of national importance and therefore should be included as separate projects within the National Planning Framework document and system;
• omission of the vital role that ports and harbours play in the economy of Orkney, Scotland and the UK, in particular the role which Orkney Harbours will play in ensuring that the Scottish and UK targets regarding net and zero carbon emissions referring to ScotWind and the diversification of Flotta Terminal, which includes the projects stated in the Orkney Harbours Masterplan Phase 1;
• the splitting of Scotland into the proposed areas does not reflect the way in which ports and harbours carry out their business, in particular this being local, Scottish, UK, EU and international in nature. Therefore, as the consultative document does not take note of this, it fails to demonstrate true strategic planning for the future for Scotland as a whole.

James Buck, Head of Marine Services, Transportation and Harbour Master, explained: “The review process started in April 2020 with a call for ideas and we supplied relevant information, including full details of the approved Orkney Harbours Masterplan phase 1, with an update sent in 2021. The Scottish Government issued a consultation document ‘Our Fourth National Planning Framework Draft’ during November 2021 with a response deadline of 31 March this year.

“We were disappointed to note many omissions and factual inaccuracies within the consultation document and are urging a reconsideration of several factors in relation to Orkney and Orkney Harbours. It’s essential that key points that have been left out are included which will be vital in ensuring Orkney and it’s harbours and infrastructure now and into the future are fairly and accurately represented.”

Sub-committee members agreed that a written response should be submitted highlighting the concerns raised by the authority by the 31 March deadline.

Vice-chair of the Sub-committee Councillor Andrew Drever said: “There are some glaring omissions relating to Orkney from the consultation document. I am very much in support of the response from the Harbour Authority and trust it will get the fair treatment it deserves.”

The Harbour Authority’s response will be separate to any corporate response given by the OIC as a local authority, which is to be considered in due course by the Development and Infrastructure Committee.