Public events for Quanterness wind turbines proposal

Orkney Islands Council is to present revised plans for a six turbine wind farm at Quanterness to the public later this month.

Initial concept plans for the development were presented at public events in April this year with various studies carried out in the intervening period - which have led to some changes to the layout of the site.

These revised plans will now be on show at public events in Rendall and in Kirkwall on 20 and 21 November – and available on the Council website shortly after.

With the Council intending to submit a planning application for the project early next year, the events will give local people the opportunity to comment on the plans in what’s known as ‘Pre-Application Consultation’ - a statutory requirement for major developments like these.

The objective of the PAC is for communities to be better informed about major and national development proposals and to have an opportunity to contribute their views before a formal planning application is submitted to the planning authority.

The PAC does not take away the need for, and right of, individuals and communities to express formal views to the planning authority during the planning application process itself. It is important, therefore, for communities and others to follow their interest in a proposal through to the planning application stage, when views can be made to the planning authority before it before determines the application.

The Quanterness project is one of three under development as part of ‘Orkney’s Community Wind Farm Project’ - alongside Faray and a site to the south of Wee Fea in Hoy.

The proposed Quanterness site has the potential capacity for six turbines, the site on Faray has enough space for up to eight turbines and the current proposal at the third site in Hoy is to erect seven turbines, all at a blade tip height of up to 150m.

Pre-application consultation for the Faray and Hoy sites are likely to take place at later dates in 2020.

Details of the events are as follows:

• Wednesday 20 November at Rendall Community Centre from 12:00 to 17:00 and again from 19:00 to 21:00.
• Thursday 21 November at Kirkwall Town Hall and Community Centre from 12:00 to 17:00 and again from 19:00 to 21:00.

Members of the Council’s project team will be on hand to talk people through the plans and discuss any questions or concerns they may have. Feedback sheets will be available to fill in at the event or to take away and fill in before submitting to the project team.