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Crofters to thwart wind farm |
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The Scotsman reports:
The Scotsman reports today that a power company will compensate crofters for the benefits enjoyed by a proposed wind farm project on the Isle of Skye. However, a miority of Edinbane estate crofters and second home owners, The Skye Wind Farm Action Group, is not fazed . It has now brought the case to the Scottish Land Court. The hearing opened yesterday. Behind the project is the power company Amec who are propoing to take common grazing land out of crofting use to build 27 wind turbines.
Crofter George Campbell, clerk of the common grazings, told the hearing: “We are not losing ground, but gaining income we do not have at the moment, referring to the rental income the estate would receive if the project goes ahead, writes The Scotsman.
An opponent, who asked not to be named, said earlier: "There are three issues the land court has to look at - it has to be satisfied that the landowner will benefit, that the crofters will benefit and that the community will benefit.
"There is little doubt the landowner will benefit, but on the other two points we will have to wait and see."
When the project was first announced, more than two years ago, it was made clear that shares in the Edinbane Estate Wind Farm Company Ltd, would be divided equally between estate owner Ruairaidh Hilleary and local tenants. Under the 1976 Crofting Reform Act, crofters are entitled to 50% of the development potential of the land.
Amec's head of commercial services, James King, estimates a £120,000 rental income from the land. To compensate for the benefits enjoyed by the wind farm, the company has also committed itself to set up a to a community fund. It would donate £1,000 for every megawatt of power generated, which would amount to some £47,000 every year.
The Action Group, however, is still sceptical. It fears that the turbines would harm tourism (even though David Still, general manager of Amec, said two years ago: "It's a pretty good location - it's fairly well obscured), and that property prices would be affected.
The hearing at the Land Court continues, and is expected to last until the end of this week.
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