Deadline approaching for comments on ‘Orkney’s Community Wind Farm Project - Hoy’

The deadline date for submission of comments to the Scottish Government on proposed plans for a six turbine, council-owned wind farm at Wee Fea in Lyness is fast approaching.

Comments  - whether to support or oppose the project - must be made by Monday 31 May 2021.

The Scottish Government has called in the ‘Orkney’s Community Wind Farm Project – Hoy’ planning application for determination, which means that Scottish Ministers will now be responsible for making the final decision on whether or not to grant planning permission for the project.

The proposed project is one part of 'Orkney's Community Wind Farm Project', which could also see council-owned wind farm developments at Quanterness in St Ola and on Faray in the North Isles.

The Quanterness planning application was also called in in March last year and a decision from Ministers is awaited.

The Council requested that the Scottish Government call in the applications - principally based on the potential national significance of the project.

Full documentation for the Hoy proposal is free to view on the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) website.

On accessing the website, enter the case reference CIN-ORK-002 in the ‘Search by case reference’ box to find all documents relating to this case.

Copies of the EIA report may also be purchased from Development and Infrastructure, Orkney Islands Council, Town House, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AA at a cost of £1,250.00 (including printing and distribution) for a paper copy or £15.00 for a USB for PDF screen viewing and can be arranged by emailing Sweyn Johnston.

Any person who wishes to make representations to Scottish Ministers now needs to make them in writing by 31 May 2021 (quoting reference CIN-ORK-002) to:

The Planning and Environmental Appeals Division, Scottish Government, Ground Floor, Hadrian House, Callendar Business Park, Callendar Road, Falkirk FK1 1XR or by e-mail to Jayne Anderson. 

Members of the public who took part in the pre-application process are reminded that comments or views submitted during that period were to the applicant and for the pre-application report only. Should they still wish to support or object to the project they also need to make their views known to the DPEA, as described above.

A planning application for the Faray project is due to be submitted next month and the Council will request that Scottish Ministers call in that application too.