Plans in for car park and picnic benches at wind farm compound site

PLANS have now been lodged for a public car park with picnic benches at a compound previously used in the Viking Energy wind farm construction.

The development south of Voe is being proposed by SSE Renewables, the company behind the 103-turbine wind farm.

The wind farm is set to go live this summer, and once it is operational people will be able to walk and cycle along its many tracks.

It is hoped the public car park will provide easier access to the tracks.

Two temporary compounds were set up to provide bases for workers during its construction.

The main one was south of the Halfway House, whilst there was a “north” one off the A970 south of Voe.

The north one is the location of the plans for a car park and picnic benches.

The proposal includes around 20 parking bays, including some disabled spaces.

The plans, submitted to Shetland Islands Council’s planning department, also include a container for storing all-terrain wheelchairs.

A meeting of the Viking Energy community liaison group previously heard an agreement had been reached with local charity Ability Shetland regarding the use of all-terrain wheelchairs on the site.

There also stands to be a public car park built near to the new Sandwater road, which was part of a planning condition.