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Council waits in vain for Eishken wind farm statement 16/4/09
► Trust urges Government to reject Eishken windfarm
Enterprise minister Jim Mather will not make any announcement today (Thurs) about planning permission to build a £ 185 million wind farm on Lewis it has been confirmed.
There was speculation in mainland newspapers over the the past two weeks that the Scottish Government minister would approve the controversial Eishken scheme on his visit to the Western Isles today.
It was claimed that Mr Mather would bow to pressure from Western Isles Council to
give the go-
However, a Scottish Government spokesman confirmed that planning permission is yet to be decided and and there will be certainly no announcement made today.
He affirmed: “No decision has been made” and pointed out that planning permission is “still under consideration.”
He stressed that though Mr Mather would discuss renewable energy as an economic strategy for the isles he will not focus on one specific project.
Instead, Mr Mather would help the council to “work up an action plan” from the economic study for the Western Isles which the Scottish Government published earlier this year.
In recent days there has been a raft of job announcements favouring the Western isles which Mr Mather is likely to remind wind farm supporters of.
It includes the reopening of the Arnish manufacturing yard, the building of a £2.3 million media centre, and a £7.5 million investment into 72 new homes meaning vital construction employment.
Developer Nick Oppenheim who owns the private sporting estate has set up Beinn Mhòr Power to push the wind project.
He reckons that around 95 jobs will created to build the scheme though eventually only 10 staff are needed for its operation.
He will hand over six sites to a community wind farm trust though villagers have to raise around £ 20 million to develop their project.
A third of the community revenues will have to be paid to a council-
The news will greatly upset Western Isles Council which has strongly urged the minister to make an announcement today.
Council leader Angus Campbell said; “The Scottish Government’s own study found that onshore wind energy offers the best hope for regenerating the economy of the Outer Hebrides.
“Particularly now, when the islands are facing severe economic challenges, the prospect of a development going ahead in the near future would be a major boost for the people of these Islands.
“The Comhairle is confident that the Minister will have the economic interests of the islands to the fore in his consideration of the Eishken project and I would urge him to listen to the democratically elected representatives of the Island communities rather than narrow interest groups such as the John Muir Trust who have no interest in, nor responsibility for, the people of the Outer Hebrides.
“This welcome visit by the Minister today provides a perfect opportunity to give some hope to the people of the Islands and announce the go ahead for a positive development which will bring significant employment and community benefit. The Comhairle would urge the Minister to seize the opportunity”
Last year, Western Isles Council itself did not wait for the outcome of a Scottish
Government-
The authority gave the go-
The public inquiry examined if the economic benefits are of such a national importance
to over-