Voe Community Development Association calls for SSEN to carry out ‘full and transparent cumulative impact assessment’
An image of how the Hamarigrind substation would look as viewed from the southwest. Image: SSEN
A community group which launched a major campaign against pylons has urged energy bosses to carry out a “full and transparent cumulative impact assessment” into their plans.
Members of the Voe Community Development Association (VCDA) have also asked Delting Community Council to ensure their views on the proposed energy developments in the area are fully considered at the upcoming meeting of the Association of Shetland Community Councils on 22nd August.
The meeting, which will be held from 10.30am the Islesburgh Community Centre in Lerwick, is to be attended by Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael and Shetland MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad.
It follows a motion raised by Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale Community Council chairman Andrew Archer at the latest Association of Shetland Community Council meeting.
Mr Archer’s motion called on elected representatives to sign a declaration backing a pause on new developments until a “coherent plan and strategy are in place”.
This follows growing concern about the scale and speed of the proposals.
In a statement the VCDA said: “We fully support the idea of a moratorium on all energy developments in Shetland until a clear, sensible strategy is formulated with proper consideration of our island environment.”
A petition bearing 1,600 signatures presented to SSEN in January requested that the “Kergord 2” substation, now called Hamarigrind, be sensitively sited as far south as possible, and requested burying of all cables to respect Shetland's Geopark status and protect the visitor experience.
The VCDA, along with others, has "major concerns" about overhead lines with 38m pylons being sited along Dales Lees.
VCDA is now calling for SSEN to conduct a “full and transparent cumulative impact assessment”.
