Council united in opposing designations

The full council this week rubber-stamped the OIC standpoint when it comes to environmental designations directed at the islands.

The matter came before the OIC’s development and infrastructure committee last month, when elected members unanimously backed convener Steven Heddle’s call for a moratorium on the issue, after hearing plans to designate a large proportion of Orkney’s inshore waters as draft Marine Special Protection Areas (MSPAs).

The areas proposed by the Scottish Government include the entire Orkney Harbour Authority area, the whole of Scapa Flow, half of the entire North Isles, and the mouth of the Pentland Firth right across to Caithness — most of the existing areas of marine economic activity in and around Orkney, and the main areas for tidal energy development in the future.

The issue was back on the agenda at the meeting of the full council on Tuesday, with Councillor Bill Stout calling for an amendment in the wording of the message the council should send out when it came to such designations. This was agreed by councillors.

The recommendations agreed by councillors stated:

• Where a proposed new designation would have significant adverse economic and/or social effects on local communities, its introduction will not be supported by the council.

• That the council will seek a moratorium on the introduction of any new environmental designations which it does not support, by making formal representations to the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the European Commission.

• That the council opposes the introduction of a Marine Special Protection Area in Orkney waters as currently proposed.

Commenting after the meeting on Tuesday, Councillor Steven Heddle said: “The council unanimously sent out two clear messages today: firstly, that no environmental designations should be imposed on Orkney that are not supported by the council as being in the county’s best interests; and secondly, that the council is united in opposing the draft Marine Special Protection Areas currently proposed for Orkney waters.”

He added: “This gives both officers and elected members a clear mandate when taking our arguments against such designations to our governments and to Europe — which we must do in order to be able to promote sustainable development whilst, of course, protecting the environment as at present to keep Orkney the green and clean place it demonstrably is.”