– The logic of the authorities in the British Isles is amazing, to say the least.Â
– Back on 12Jan08, I wrote a piece on the folks in Wales going ahead with the biggest open coal mine in the British isles.
– And now, here in Scotland, they’re refusing to build wind mills for power generation because they want to preserve the local wetlands. Bloody amazing.
– One has to wonder how much the coal industry may have supported the one and opposed the other with big money back-room arm-twisting. Â Â
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Plans to build one of Europe’s biggest wind farms on the Isle of Lewis are set to be turned down, BBC Scotland understands.
The BBC’s Gaelic news service, Radio nan Gaidheal, has learned that Scottish Government ministers are “minded to refuse” the 181 turbine scheme.
More than 5,000 letters of objection to the proposals were received by the Scottish Government.
It is believed environmental concerns are behind the decision.
An official announcement from the Scottish Government is not expected for a further two or three weeks.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “No final decision has been taken and ministers are working towards finalising and announcing a decision in the near future.”
A spokesman for Lewis Wind Power said they welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to make a swift decision on the application.
He said: “We continue a dialogue with Scottish Government officials about our application.”
Campaigners had warned the wind farm would cause “irreversible damage” to one of the country’s most important wetland sites.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds also opposed the project, disputing job figures put forward by developers Lewis Wind Power and raising concerns about the farm’s impact on local wildlife.
Supporters of the turbines pointed to potential economic benefits, claiming more than 400 jobs would be created during construction.
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