Swarclett group in ‘mutiny’ claim over Caithness energy projects
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Wind farm objectors have claimed that if Caithness was a ship the crew would be plotting a mutiny, such is the sense of injustice within some communities over the scale of renewable energy developments in the county.
The suggestion is made in a letter to local politicians from the action group opposing Swarclett Wind Farm, proposed for a site at Bowertower.
Renewable energy company Wind2 wants to build two turbines, each with a maximum blade-tip height of 149.9m, on land between Bower and Durran. A battery energy storage system is also part of the development.
Residents have set up a campaign called No to Swarclett with its own website and a Facebook group which now has 95 members. They have written to Jamie Stone, the MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, and Maree Todd, the MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, arguing that “a tipping point has been reached” and that most residents of Caithness are “absolutely sick” of energy projects.
The campaigners say there are 10 properties within 1500 metres of the Swarclett site, of which four are only about 800 metres away, and insist it will have an unacceptable impact on their lives.
A planning application is expected to be submitted to Highland Council in May.
In their letter, the campaigners invite Mr Stone and Ms Todd to visit Bowertower so they can be shown “the ridiculousness” of the plans.
They say: “We feel that a tipping point has been reached in that most residents of Caithness are absolutely sick of the continual stream of energy-related developments that they are bombarded with.
“The Swarclett Wind Farm proposal represents the ridiculous extremes to which those seeking to simply make money will go – a two-turbine scheme within 1500m of 10 properties, four of which are only around 800m away.
“Were the county of Caithness a ship, we believe a mutiny would be imminent! The considerable stresses being created by energy-related proposals for the communities around Watten, Spittal and Dunbeath are beyond belief.
“We attended one of the SSEN information events and were particularly angered by the realisation that the very many staff attending and promoting the event are being funded by ourselves and other taxpayers and electricity consumers.
“We know that subsidies are generous, but so it seems are the income streams of these companies.”
Related stories:
Wind farm near Castletown could start in 2027 and create up to 15 jobs, says developer
Farmer warns Swarclett wind turbines will be ‘blight on valued landscape’
Bowertower residents take up fight against wind turbine ‘monstrosities’
Wind2 is based in north-east Wales with staff in Scotland, including in Cromarty. The company held two public exhibitions last summer, followed by two more earlier this year – one in Bower and one in Castletown.
According to the project’s website, the wind farm will have a total installed capacity of around 20 megawatts if approved by Highland Council.
Speaking last week, project manager Hannah Brown said: “The Swarclett wind farm project aims to assist in achieving national renewable energy targets whilst carefully ensuring no significant impact to its setting. An environmental impact assessment has been conducted and will be available to view within the planning application documents to be submitted to Highland Council in May.
“We acknowledge the concerns from the local residents and appreciate their time in attending our public exhibitions held in both Bower and Castletown. Following receipt of the residents’ feedback from our first round of public exhibitions held in summer 2023, we have amended our community benefit and electricity contribution scheme proposals.
“The current proposal is to set up a Near Neighbours Electricity Contribution scheme for residents within 2km of each turbine. This would allow residents within the 2km boundary to claim £600 per property per annum to assist in covering their electricity bills, for the life of the project.
“There is an option to capitalise this payment to contribute towards the likes of solar panels or heat pump installation, if that was preferable.
“The remainder of the funds set aside for community benefit would be split between Bower and Castletown communities, as the project sits within each community council area. This is standard practice.”
