Highland politicians respond to public demands to pause major renewable projects after packed Beauly convention with more than 300 people in attendance

Politicians from across the north have been responding to the demands from a Saturday’s convention which demanded a moratorium on all new renewable energy projects.

In one of the more remarkable and impassioned meetings of its kind more than 300 people attended and voiced their concerns – chiefly that they are being ignored by the Scottish Government and Highland Council.

The concerns did not stop there as others raised issues about community benefit and what renewable energy could deliver for the region.

• 53 community councils from Kiltarlity to Caithness unite to demand pause on energy projects across Highlands

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The meeting brought together more than 50 community councils issued a statement with three keys demands for lawmakers:

– calling on elected members to urgently support and protect communities at the national

– calling on the Scottish Government to undertake a planning inquiry commission to probe the cumulative impact of all major renewable energy infrastructure projects

– pause all major applications until a clear national energy policy and an economic impact assessment are completed

Liberal Democrats MP Jamie Stone and the party’s Caithness, Sutherland and Ross candidate David Green both were present at the meeting on Saturday.

Below are the responses we have received from local MPs and MSPs.

Jamie Stone Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP:

“I attended the meeting because I thought it was very important that I heard what my constituents had to say.

“The meeting was probably the biggest that Beauly has seen for a good many years, and while the need to meet net zero was recognised, there was deep unhappiness with the way that this was being approached.

“The bottom line for me, and I speak as a former community council chair, was that this was a very large gathering of elected community council members.

“By the law of the land, community councils have a statutory role in planning matters. With this in mind, I find it most concerning that there appears to be a deep disconnect between these democratically elected community councils and the manner in which planning, overseen by the Scottish Government, is being undertaken.

“Again and again we heard criticism of the Scottish Government from the floor of the meeting for this very reason.

“Several years ago I advocated an idea of a public inquiry into how improvements to the grid should be undertaken. Today I still hold that view.

“I shall now make it my business to make sure that the Scottish Government, and indeed the UK Government, understand the level of local concern.”

Fergus Ewing, Inverness and Nairn SNP MSP:

From this statement and convention at Beauly, I sense there is a growing number of people with various concerns about renewables . This has been simmering for some time now. Concerns include the visual impacts and impacts on the landscape, but also the apparent lack of significant benefit to communities..

I have over the past four years consistently argued for development of our renewable resources with an element of community ownership, and clear benefits for people living in the Highlands and other parts of scotland most directly impacted, but little if any progress has been made .

“Unless the Scottish Government realise that action is required to deliver palpable clear benefits, they will find that the opposition to the renewables venture is growing apace.

“They must take people with them.”

Edward Mountain, Highlands and Islands Conservative MSP:

“I have long said that it is essential we do not sacrifice the Highlands on the altar of Net Zero.

“I agree with the Convention’s findings that our communities need to be not only protected, but also properly compensated, when renewable projects are built in their area. The most important thing is that they are not ignored.

“The development of electricity infrastructure has real potential to threaten tourism, an industry on which Highlanders depend for their livelihoods.

“The Convention on Saturday saw representation from Community Councils covering over 35 per cent of the Highland Council’s landmass (or nearly 12% of Scotland’s landmass), so it is vital that the concerns raised are heeded at the highest level.”

Maree Todd, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross SNP MSP:

“I have been engaging extensively with both the Scottish and UK Governments on a range of planning and regulatory matters. These discussions have centred around the issue of cumulative impact of developments on communities, the safety and regulation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and the importance of meaningful and ongoing community engagement throughout the planning process.

“I remain committed to raising these issues at every opportunity, ensuring that the views and concerns of my constituents are clearly heard and given full weight in all decision-making.

“I have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Net Zero, Gillian Martin, following this weekend’s meeting of community councils and local residents, to request a response to the issues and requests set out in the joint statement.”

David Green, Liberal Democrat candidate for Caithness, Sutherland, and Ross:

“Anyone in attendance will have been left in no doubt that many Highland communities feel decisions are being imposed on them, not made with them. To feel powerless never leads to good outcomes.

“Decision makers – both the Scottish and UK Government – should dismiss out of hand these concerns, not least questions of proportionality, scale of disruption, and benefit to local communities.

“Getting this right matters. If Ministers fail to do so, they will leave communities disenfranchised, risk the loss of public support for tackling the climate crisis, and fail to deliver the benefits of a clean energy strategy for both people and the planet.”

Angus MacDonald, Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire Liberal Democrat MP:

“The decision on the location of renewable projects is a Scottish Government issue. Westminster is responsible for energy, but the only area I can influence is community ownership and community benefits which I do consistently.

“If we are going to see the industrialisation of our countryside (which we are) we need to see a substantially increased economic benefit coming to the impacted area along with legacy housing and well paid jobs for locals.

“The rural Highlands, for the first time ever, should see a substantial economic boost.

“It is criminally unfair that those in rural areas pay four times as much for their renewable electricity energy while often looking at wind turbines, than those in cities pay for their imported carbon mains gas energy, but that is a separate battle.”

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