Islanders' worries over impact of 380m-tall turbines

Islanders in Lewis have raised concerns about the visual impact a planned offshore wind farm could have on the island's west coast.

Northland Power is leading the Spiorad na Mara project which could see up to 66 turbines, each 380m (1,246ft) tall, installed three to eight miles (5-13km) from shore.

The company says the farm would support jobs and generate enough electricity to meet the average annual needs of about 815,000 Scottish homes.

But there are concerns the scheme would spoil the coastal area and harm tourism.

The wind farm site was selected as part of Crown Estate Scotland's ScotWind leasing process, external.

A planning application for Spiorad na Mara could be submitted next year.

If approved, construction could start in 2028.

Canadian company Northland Power, which is working with Irish firm ESB, said the project could support more than 100 permanent jobs, and up 1,000 short-term roles during construction.

The company said the wind farm would also help meet climate targets, and could save more than 1.36 million tonnes of harmful CO2 emissions every year.

The west side of Lewis is home to about 3,500 people.

Some are concerned about the visual impacts of the turbines and an onshore sub station proposed for a site in Barvas.

Peigi Anne Shields told BBC Alba's Eòrpa programme: "When I think about it, it feels like a heartbreak.

"This is my home, and there’s going to be a huge development that doesn’t at all fit with the area, and I’ll have to see it every day.

"Lots of people say you shouldn’t think about scenery, but the scenery here is a big part of my life."

Rodney Jamieson, who runs a surfing business, has worries about the impact on tourism.

He said: "The evidence to me would suggest that if you have something big, that close, it’s going to change the place.

"Everything we sell the Western Isles on from a tourism point of view is landscape, scenery, culture, heritage."

Artist Alice Macmillan moved back home to Lewis because of the landscape.

She said: "I missed the sea, I missed the landscape, I missed seeing the kind of animals we get here and you know, to see all that wiped out in the name of being green I just think it would be absolutely devastating.

"None of this is green for us at all so I don’t think I could live here anymore."

Western Isles local authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, has not not yet taken an official view on the project.

But Lewis councillor Donald Crichton said the islands could play a role in energy security but added that it was important any renewable power scheme resulted in gains for island communities.

He said: "The benefits of this will have to be substantial in order to keep people in the townships [communities], and give them work."

Mr Crichton added: "Locally it's important that we have projects that contribute to the economy, to jobs and which also help with fuel poverty that is really high in the islands compared to the rest of the country."

Spiorad na Mara project director Tanya Davies said work had started on a potential multi-million pound community investment package.

She said the project was keen to engage with islanders and public consultations would be held this year.

She added: "We are currently undergoing rigorous environmental impact assessment which will consider all the different effects of the project.

"We are also about to start a social impact assessment, which is something we do voluntarily to show that we have a wider understanding of all of the different social impacts associated with the project."