OIC to host Quanterness turbine consultation

A public consultation, setting out revised plans for a wind farm at Quanterness, near Kirkwall, is to be held next week.

Orkney Islands Council will present plans for the six-turbine sit to the public at an event in Rendall on Wednesday, November 20 and in Kirkwall on Thursday, November 21.

Initial concept plans for the development were presented at public events in April this year, with various studies carried out in the intervening period — which have led to some changes to the layout of the site. The council intends to submit a planning application in early 2020.

These revised plans will also be available on the council’s website www.orkney.gov.uk shortly after the meeting.m

The events will present the opportunity to comment on the plans in what’s known as “Pre-Application Consultation” — a statutory requirement for major developments like these.

The Quanterness project is one of three under development, as part of Orkney’s Community Windfarm Project — alongside Faray and a site to the south of Wee Fea in Hoy.

The proposed Quanterness site has the potential capacity for six turbines, the site on Faray has enough space for up to eight turbines and the current proposal at the third site in Hoy is to erect seven turbines, all at a blade tip height of up to 150m.

Pre-application consultation for the Faray and Hoy sites are likely to take place at later dates in 2020.

Details of the events are as follows:

• Wednesday November 20, at Rendall Community Centre, from noon to 5pm, and again from 7pm to 9pm.
• Thursday November 21, at Kirkwall Town Hall and Community Centre, from noon to 5pm, and again from 7pm to 9pm.

Members of the council’s project team will be on hand to talk people through the plans and discuss any questions or concerns they may have.

Feedback sheets will be available to fill in at the event, or to take away and fill in before submitting to the project team.