Speaking to the John O'Groat Journal this week, chairman of the Spittal Windfarm Opposition Group John Brown said he was surprised to learn that the community council had changed its stance.

It was reported in last week's paper that much-needed investment could be injected into the Watten area thanks to an agreement between the developers of the Spittal project and the village's community council.

Chairman of the community council Jim Macdonald welcomed the agreement to take over community ownership of one of the 30 proposed turbines, stating that the project would provide a positive benefit to the area.

However, Mr Brown has questioned the community council's decision, saying: "I am pretty angry that they have gone and changed their mind."

Mr Brown, who farms at Upper Larel, Halkirk, explained that in 2007 the community council undertook a postal ballot of all its constituents to find out if they wished the wind farm to go ahead.

The simple "yes" or "no" ballot, which was approved by the Highland Council, created a certain amount of controversy in the area with claims that possible community benefit was being used as an incentive, along with allegations that the developers had tried to influence the vote by sending out letters to residents.

The result showed that over 62 per cent of respondents were against the proposal for Spittal, and Watten community councillors accepted the result at the time, which was reported in the Caithness Courier in July 2007.

Mr Brown stated that the opposition group first learned of the community council's apparent U-turn after the minutes of a recent meeting were displayed on the notice board at the village shop.

He said: "It came as quite a surprise. We had no idea there was any prospect of this happening. We were happy they took the vote in 2007 that confirmed the opinion of most of the community."

The group has already been in touch with the Highland Council and other bodies to express its concern about the community council's change of mind.

Mr Brown pointed out that the village council had changed its stance from one of opposition to one of support due to the Baillie wind farm decision.

A quote from the community council's minutes from a meeting in February reads: "In light of the Baillie result it is futile for Watten Community Council to oppose future wind-farm development and we are proposing to support any future wind farms in or adjacent to the Watten community area if they are prepared to give us a share in the development."

Mr Brown said: "It appears that they have been persuaded that the Spittal wind farm application is a foregone conclusion, even at this early stage of the planning process.

"What does Watten Community Council know that the Highland Council planning department and our local councillors don't, and where are they getting their information from?"

The campaigner also feels that, in keeping with the Highland Council code of conduct, anyone with a possible family financial interest in the development should not be involved in the community council proposals.

He also argues that community benefit should not come under consideration in a planning matter and therefore should not be used by the developers to try to influence a decision.

Mr Brown stated: "Watten Community Council have accepted community benefit and I believe have written a letter of support for the wind farm to the Government's decision makers.

"This and widespread exposure in the media might seem to some as a way of using community benefit to influence the decision by the back door."

He concluded: "The Watten community made its position abundantly clear in 2007.

"The community council has gone against the community's wish. Those responsible for this shoddy behaviour have treated their constituents with contempt."

Speaking yesterday Mr Macdonald said: "Mr Brown came along to our last community council meeting and we explained the situation. Obviously, he would rather we hadn't taken this stance.

"We as a community council decided to support the wind farm because the ballots at Baillie and Stroupster were totally rubbished by the authorities.

"The question we had asked was similar to the question asked at Baillie and Stroupster. Basically, they voted against the plans and they were ignored.

"We as a community council felt that we would achieve nothing by opposing it - and lose any opportunity to benefit from a wind turbine of our own. The developer would not allow us to have a wind turbine in a development we opposed.

"As community council members we are here to do a little, if possible, to better our community. Just to turn down the opportunity to get this amount of money for the betterment of the community would be plainly ridiculous."

The community council will now be setting up a company to handle the proposed benefits and decide on how the money should be used.

The developer, Spittal Hill Wind Farm Ltd, which is run by local businessmen Steven and Tom Pottinger, has stated that the proposed wind farm, situated on the eastern flank of Spittal Hill, would have an installed capacity of up to 75MW, meeting the average energy needs of some 45,000 households.

Should it receive planning consent, community ownership of a turbine has the potential to generate approximately £50,000 annually in the initial years, with the electricity it produces going to the national grid to be bought by power companies.

j.gunn@nosn.co.uk

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