Campaign Against Isle Of Lewis Wind Farm (2 Viewers)

[Upland Birder]

All who read this thread please take note of the content below and take a few minutes to write a campaign letter. It really is quite a serious matter and the bird population that uses this habitat needs our help urgently! My letter is already on its way.

Let me know when you have sent or emailed your objection. It would be great if Birdforum members from all over the world could assist with this campaign.

I found this RSPB information on another site and thought it should be posted on this forum as there are many birders who are interested in this issue and can help.

Thanks

Dean

Cheadle Birder

STATEMENT FROM THE RSPB ON THE PROPOSED GIANT WIND FARM ON THE ISLAND OF LEWIS

The RSPB has been heavily engaged with proposals for a giant wind farm on the island of Lewis. We are now urgently trying to raise awareness of revised proposals which have come forward from the developer, as people now have an opportunity to object - but they need to do this before the end of January. I would be grateful if you could publish the following note on your website as we are very keen to ensure your readers are aware that we are doing all we can to stop this development and to get their help. The situation is moving fast - we are currently reviewing the full Environmental Statement - and we will update our website in January with more information.

You may be aware that a revised planning application was submitted on 12 December by Lewis Wind Power (British Energy/AMEC) for a giant wind farm on Lewis. Most of the turbines and associated infrastructure are still located on the Lewis Peatlands SPA.

The developer has made changes to the layout and reduced the number of turbines - partly to minimise bird impacts, but we remain gravely concerned. Despite the changes, the development remains huge in scale: 181 wind turbines, each 140 metres tall, on an area designated for its special wildlife. There would be over 30 kilometers (27 miles) of overhead cables supported by 137 pylons (each 27 metres high), with a similar length again of cable underground; plus turbine foundations (each around 1000 cubic metres), hard standings, roads, quarries and no fewer than 8 electrical substations.

Lewis Wind Power believe they have addressed the threats to key bird species – including golden eagles, red and black throated divers, merlin – by moving turbines, creating ‘buffer zones’ and offering ‘mitigation’ for habitat loss. They say the damage that will occur is justified – we strongly disagree.

We are especially concerned about the impacts of this development on dunlin and golden plover, which breed here in very high densities. We do not see how the developers can avoid causing serious damage to these populations.

The moor is a very special place, both in national and international terms. The fragile peatland habitat (blanket bog) is found only in a few areas in the world, and though the turbines could be taken down after the lifetime of the development , the supporting infrastructure would cause irreversible damage to the structure of the peat, altering the water pattern and soil make-up forever. Our independent peat expert advises us that the developers have seriously under-estimated the damage to the habitat.

The developers seek to justify all this on the grounds that the development would bring an interconnector allowing electricity to be exported from the Western Isles to the mainland. This, they argue, would enable the Isles to be developed as a renewable energy powerhouse, creating local employment and bringing much-needed income to the community. We simply don’t believe that it is worth damaging such a valuable place, when there are viable alternatives. An interconnector to the Western Isles can be delivered without this development. We need renewable developments to help us in the fight against climate change, but if we are trying to protect the environment, the last place we should put them is on one of the best wildlife sites in Europe. The Scottish Executive’s own research shows that Scotland can exceed its renewable energy targets without the need for development on sensitive sites such as this.

The RSPB will be objecting to this wind farm in the strongest terms – but we are only one voice. The more objections the Executive receives, the more ministers will have to listen to our arguments.

That is why I am asking you, at a time when you will have Christmas and other things on your mind, to take the time to write a letter or e-mail objecting to this development. Objections need to be with the Scottish Executive by the end of January. Please send a letter to Consents and Emergency Planning Unit, Scottish Executive, Meridian Court, 5 Cadogan Street, Glasgow G2 6AT or e-mail energyconsents 'at' scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Further information about what is proposed is available from:

our website http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/action/lewis/index.asp, where we will be posting information as well as our objection letter as soon as we have had a chance to review the developer’s Environmental Statement (which runs to hundreds of pages!)
the developers' website at www.lewiswind.com
Please help us stop this development – and thank you for your support.


Martin Scott

Conservation Officer, Western Isles

 

[Mary]

Done! (Hubby as well)

 

[David]

As not everyone can find time to draft a letter/email of objection I have provide a draft text and email link at:

PROACT: WIND FARMS AND BIRDS - LEWIS


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[Upland Birder]

I've just arrived on line. Thanks David, Mary (Mary's hub). This is a start and I hope the momentum continues.

As I said at the start of this thread I hope that Birdforum members from Britain and all over the world will write/send a letter of objection before the end of January 2007 in regard to this very important matter.

Local and national government as well as the windfarm developers need to know once again the level of opposition to the latest proposals.

Please let me know via this thread when you have sent your letter or email of opposition. We can then keep track of our efforts.

Lets do our bit to try and protect the birds, wildlife and habitat in this part of the world.

Thanks Dean

 

[deborah4]

As not everyone can find time to draft a letter/email of objection I have provide a draft text and email link at:


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Thanks David: I slightly altered mine in the hope a letter from 'another source' might help but used Proacts as a very helpful draft. Hope you don't mind.

Dear Sirs/Madam

As a member of the British electorate and a member of the RSPB, please accept this email as an OBJECTION to the revised Lewis Windfarm Proposals.

The need to find sustainable and renewable fuel sources are vital in the context of Climate Change. My objection is not on aesthetic appreciation of the landscape of Lewis which would be rendered 'disfigured' by this massive development, which in itself could be argued, in the light of the above, to be an acceptable price. My objection is simply this: Saving wild habitat from destructive developments when the fauna and flora is already under pressure from global climate change should be the primary concern for all of us.

Although the revised application has made an effort to minimise the impact on bird species from turbine blades, the potentially serious impact on species such as Dunlin and Golden Eagle, critical proportions of the UK populations of which are found on Lewis, will not be avoided by the new proposal.

The installation of the proposed windfarm on fragile peatland habitat, is also surely questionable under European Environmental Law?

I urge you to look at the problem of Climate Change and how to respond to it with more vision and sensitivity than is currently being demonstrated by the Scottish and English Executives. Recently SSE, one of the largest power companies in Scotland withdrew plans to build 20 turbines at Glen Tarken near Comrie on the grounds it would impact on Golden Eagle and Red Kite. Dr Brian Smith, SSE's head of projects, said '' each potential site must be considered on its merit and be the subject of detailed scrutiny''. Lewis clearly would fail such close EIA scrutiny, which clearly has not been done throughout this application process.

So what to do? Re-investment in energy SAVING technologies, mixed approach which includes for the immediate future, nuclear power, bio fuels, legislation controlling the car manufacturing industry, subsidies for hydrogen techology research etc etc. But most of all public education on why we cannot possible tackle Climate Change even with current population levels let alone the future growth, unless all of us simply use less fuel reliant methods of conducting our daily lives. Plastering the countryside in windfarms is worse than simply re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titantic, insensitively placed windfarms threaten to ruin that very habit and the species that dwell on it, that supposedly they are being erected for in the first place.

Kind Regards

 

[Wickham]

Here are some more matters to refer to in a campaign letter:-

Just a reminder that wind farms need strong roads to each turbine to carry in the huge blades and the sections of 90 metre high towers on 40 tonne articulated lorries.

Over a hundred miles of hardcore road for the Isle of Lewis; just the construction of these roads and drainage ditches will cause immense damage to the peat and hardcore will probably come from the blasting of hilly areas.

I worked on the Falklands airport construction contract which required lots of roads in peat areas. Generally the peat was about 300mm deep but in every dip in the landscape it was deeper - up to 4 metres deep.

Floating roads with lots of hardcore were not at all possible as the hardcore just sank even with the construction traffic on it.

All peat had to be laboriously dug out and hilltops blasted to provide hardcore to replace the peat and take the road levels up above surrounding ground. It wasn't just peat that was dug out, soft clay underneath was also removed. The roads weren't motorways, they were just gravel access roads for maintenance traffic and the road to Stanley was also gravel for cars and occasional buses.

All roads had deep side ditches to take water and streams away.

http://www.wickham43.supanet.com/falklands/peatdigandcorral.html

This shows what can happen just with construction traffic:-
http://www.wickham43.supanet.com/falklands/boginsonsite.html

 

[Osprey_watcher]

Dean, I objected a while ago to this oneI also saw a TV programme that showed a computer generated image of what the area will look like if the wind farm goes ahead. It was horrendous.
The people of Lewis have all my sympathy and my full support.
Good luck

 

[delia todd]

E-mail sent

D

 

[David]

Thanks David: I slightly altered mine in the hope a letter from 'another source' might help but used Proacts as a very helpful draft. Hope you don't mind.

Not in the least Deborah - individual texts are always better if people have time.

For Osprey watcher and others who have objected to the previous planning proposal. PLease object AGAIN to this new revised proposal. It's important and legitimate.

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi all,

I have just arrived back on line. Nice to see a few more responses to this campaign since I last looked.

I agree with David. Anyone who has objected previously should object again. Only this time you will be objecting to a new proposal which would be just as damaging to the bird population, wildlife and habitat as as the last proposal.

I would love to see hundreds of Birdforum members send an objection. Its important to do this to protect the above. The birds, wildlife, habitat and the people of Lewis need us right now.

So lets go for it folks.

Thanks Dean.

 

[Stewart J.]

Objections sent by my wife and I

Stewart

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi Stuart,

Its great to read that you and your wife have sent objections. Thanks for taking some time out to do this.

Have a great Christmas

Dean

 

[Stewart J.]

Hi Stuart,

Its great to read that you and your wife have sent objections. Thanks for taking some time out to do this.

Have a great Christmas

Dean

Thanks Dean we also objected to the initial proposals

Good birding for 2007

Stewart

 

[Osprey_watcher]

OK, new objection now sent.

Deborah, hope you don't mind but I've borrowed your letter from the post above.

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi all,

I've just got back on line and it is good to see that Birdforum members have sent further objection letters. My partner Jan has also sent an objection letter.

So to all Birdforum members out there wherever you are in the world lets build on this and increase the number of objection letters.

All of us are into watching birds, listening to birds. Others are into photographing them painting or drawing them and many of us are into learning about them. At the same time we all want to promote their protection and hopefully this campaign will go someway to ensuring that this happens for the bird populations of the Isle of Lewis.

Lets play our part in this.

Thanks Dean

Cheadle Birder

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Dean,

I sent a copy of the Proact Email, yesterday I think. I used to be a near neighbour of yours Cheadle Hulme.

Naturally I had sent an email when the proposal was first put forward. I always participate in every campaign and petition, not just on BF but being laughed at elsewhere do things privately if you see what I mean.

Ann

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi Ann,

Thanks for sending your obection letter/email. I don't actually live in Cheadle Hulme. I live in Cheadle, Staffordshire Moorlands. I am not that far from your home town Preston and travel to Lancashire for birding and walking trips on a regular basis.

I hope you have a great Christmas and a positive new year.

I'll look out for your postings/threads.

Dean

 

[Upland Birder]

Happy new year to all who read this thread, have an interest in conservation, bird, wildlife and habitat protection.

I know a number of people have sent further objections. 50 objections and probably more have gone via Proact.

So between now and the end of January can all Bird Forum members who would like to object take time out to send letter or email.

This campaign is important for all the right reasons.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Dean

Cheadle Birder

 

[David]

I know a number of people have sent further objections. 50 objections and probably more have gone via Proact.

I have now clocked up 63 with the most coming from UK 26 - closely followed by Germany with 21.

 

[SueBryan]

I have now clocked up 63 with the most coming from UK 26 - closely followed by Germany with 21.

Now 64 ! How could they destroy such a wonderful environment for the birds? I have enjoyed every moment I have spent there. The birds make it such a special place! Keep up the good work David!
Sue