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Energy / Access restriction for Viking site under review

Signs like this one appeared over previous days. Photo: Shetland News

SHETLAND Islands Council (SIC) has confirmed that warning signs advising people that the right of access to the hills is suspended during the construction of the Viking Energy wind farm may be at odds with outdoor access agreed as part of the development’s planning consent.

The council’s planning department confirmed that it had received a number of complaints and enquiries after the signs bearing the logo of the civil contractor RJ McLeod had appeared over recent days banning people from a large part of the central mainland.

The SIC’s director of development Neil Grant told Shetland News this afternoon: “The council is investigating, and making contact with the developer.

“However an initial view that can be taken is that the content of the notice can be interpreted at being at odds with the outdoor access management plan approved under a condition of the planning permission which the Scottish ministers granted for the development.“

Viking Energy meanwhile confirmed that it is in the process of “reviewing public access signage related to the ongoing construction works by RJ McLeod”.

“A further update will be given once this review process is complete and any resulting changes are made to the signs,” the company said on its website.

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