Planning councillors have unanimously awarded outline permission for a large electricity converter station to be built at Arnish Point at the entrance to Stornoway harbour.
There were no formal objections when the application was debated at pre-
The convertor station depends on a much-
The proposed development of buildings at Arnish would be the land-
The overall energy export infrastructure project is key to creating a multi-
A recent report commissioned by the Scottish Government says the Western Isles economy could benefit by £144 million over the next 25 years from renewables projects, creating the equivalent of 244 full time jobs in the longer term.
This includes up to £81 million of community benefit payments plus the creation of nearly 500 jobs during the construction of windfarms and grid infrastructure.
But it all hinges on the converter station and interconnector link going ahead.
James Wheater, SSE’s environmental project manager, told the hearing the firm is
“currently tendering” for the 40 month-
SSE is looking at 2021 for switching on the interconnecter so building the convertor station at Arnish will “enable the constrained delivery timescale to be met” compared to difficulties with the previous earmarked site in the Lewis coastal village of Gravir which would require “substantial works in deep peat.”
Cllr Donald Macleod told the forum: “We have been waiting for this development for 17 years. It is what the island needs. The economy of the Western Isles will benefit from this.”
Cllr Charlie Nicolson suggested the construction of a link road from Arnish to the
Creed Enterprise Park to provide an speedier and improved route for imported turbines
to the main road and could attract spin-
Cllr Alasdair Macleod said: “There have been so many false dawns for the interconnector and at long last things are coming together.
The hearing was told of worries the proposal could significantly affect the heavy manufacturing use at Arnish and potentially threaten developing an oil rig decommissioning industry at the industrial estate there.
SSE agreed to planners’ conditions to retain a corridor of land to allow access to the shore and safeguard future aspirations to develop a deep water berth.
The energy firm would also blast out a rock outcrop at the shore which would allow future development opportunities.
The interconnector and the three main wind farms would cost around £2 billion in total to build. Outside contractors would get the lion's share of the contracts concedes the council, but it has been "working hard" to ensure island firms get work through the supply chain.
Minch interconnector convertor station outline plans approved
9 June 2016