11 politicians attend Highland community renewables convention after 'absurd' snub by energy ministers
Scotland’s energy secretary Gillian Martin and the UK Government’s energy minister Michael Shanks turned down the invitation to attend.
Politicians from across the Highlands and Islands will descend on a meeting spotlighting residents’ concerns about the renewable energy boom, as a decision by ministers to snub the conference was branded “absurd”.
Some 11 MSPs and MPs of all political stripes will join more than 50 community councils representing more than 75,000 residents across the region at a convention in Inverness next week.
Scottish Energy Secretary Gillian Martin and energy minister for the UK government Michael Shanks were invited, but both turned down the invitation.
The event, organised by Scottish Conservative councillor Helen Crawford, comes as momentum has been building among community councils and campaigners across the Highlands and Islands to put pressure on the Scottish Government to pause “a barrage of major energy infrastructure applications” across the region.
There are 1,300 applications at present in the Highland Council area alone, Cllr Crawford said.
Earlier this year, an interactive map showing all major developments related to renewable energy in the Scottish Highlands, from what exists on the ground to others that are in planning process, went live.
The digital feature, which came after Cllr Crawford, of the Aird and Highland Ward, lodged a motion last year calling for a real-time map of such developments, includes pump storage, wind farm, transmission grid, substations and convertor infrastructure. Hydro and other relevant developments are also listed across the local authority area.
Politicians due to attend the convention, which will be held at Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness, include SNP MSPs Maree Todd, Emma Roddick and Graham Leadbitter; Liberal Democrat MSPs Jamie Stone and Angus MacDonald; Scottish Conservative MSPs Edward Mountain, Tim Eagle, Jamie Halcro Johnston and Douglas Ross; Labour MP Torcuil Crichton; and Independent MSP Fergus Ewing.
Turning down Ms Martin’s invite, the Scottish Government said it would be “inappropriate for Scottish ministers to comment on live planning applications”.
In a rejection letter to the community, Mr Shanks said decisions on consenting for large energy infrastructure, planning framework and cumulative impact sat with the Scottish Government and therefore “it would not be appropriate to comment”.
Cllr Crawford said: “We are not there to discuss individual live planning applications. We are there to discuss a general direction of travel and a unified statement regarding that direction of travel.
“We have an absurd scenario when the UK energy minister and Scottish energy secretary cannot speak to communities about energy. It’s actually incredible. It’s worthy of a new episode of Yes Minister.”
Cllr Crawford said she hoped the politicians attending responded to a unified statement issued by the convention of community councils.
The statement explains members recognise the impact of climate change on the planet, but oppose “an unjust and unnecessary industrialisation of the Highlands”. The wording calls for a pause on all major applications until a national energy policy is in place, with an economic impact assessment of such developments on the area.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Scotland has some of the most stringent environmental impact regulations anywhere in the world, with communities able to have their say in our planning and consenting systems. We consult a range of public bodies and applications are subject to site-specific assessments, including impacts on local communities.
“It would be inappropriate for Scottish ministers to comment on any live applications.”
The event comes as a local group fighting plans for a wind farm in Sutherland won a legal victory after Scotland’s highest civil court quashed government approval for the project.
The Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that ministers had failed to give adequate reasons for approving the Strath Oykel wind farm near Rosehall. The development had received more than 150 objections, was unanimously objected to by Highland Council and went through a public inquiry, in which the government reporter recommended the project be refused.
The Scottish Government still gave the development the green light, prompting Highland Council to launch a legal challenge. Judges ruled that ministers failed to provide adequate reasons for overturning the inquiry’s recommendation.
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