Power Shift / Highland communities push for greater planning democracy
- Second Highlands Community Council convention meets in Inverness
- Shetland News publishes this article as part of its PowerShift project, a partnership with nine other local media outlets
MSPs and MPs from across the political spectrum have agreed to push for a “much-needed” debate about the rollout of more renewable energy projects in Highlands.
The second Community Councils Convention, held in Inverness on Tuesday, attracted more than 250 delegates, representing 60 community councils and 80,000 residents.
Seven MSPs – Edward Mountain, Douglas Ross, Jamie Halcro-Johnston and Tim Eagle (all Conservative), Emma Roddick and Maree Todd (SNP), and Fergus Ewing (Independent) – and four MPs – Torquil Crichton (Labour), Graham Leadbitter (SNP), Angus MacDonald and Jamie Stone (both Lib Dems) – were present to listen to the concerns expressed.
Tom Wills, Co-founder of Equitable Energy Research, a community interest company focused on a fair share from energy developments, had also travelled to Inverness for meeting.
The meeting, chaired by Highland councillor Helen Crawford, was held on the back of a previous community council convention in Beauly which resulted in the issue of a statement calling for a pan-Scotland planning enquiry commission and a pause on all major renewable energy applications.
In her opening remarks Crawford stated that people in the room recognised the reality of climate change, but said there had been no oversight to ensure public consultation on what was defined as a “tsunami” of planning applications.
The issue is of national significance, she stressed: “It is not a local failure, it’s a national failure.”
There was consensus in several points:
- Communities hosting these large energy developments are not seeing enough socioeconomic benefits;
- Despite generating significant amounts of energy, the region continues to grapple with widespread fuel poverty;
- Community council voices need to be heard.
Other issues mentioned by elected representatives in their speeches were the opportunities for community-ownership of renewable energy projects, the risk of a blackout, the unfairness of compulsory purchases, and the risks of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
Issues such as compensation, the lack of overall planning, and the industrialisation of the landscape were discussed at some length, with most MPs and MSPs committing to push for changes in legislation.
Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro-Johnson raised the issue of constraint payments in Scotland, which are costing consumers £238 millions per year.
He cited Shetland as an example with the Viking wind farm potentially generating electricity for half a million homes, while the region has the highest levels of fuel poverty.
He also supported the creation of a body to provide support and advice for communities in planning issues.
Independent Fergus Ewing, who as the SNP’s energy minister approved the Viking planning consent in 2012, highlighted the lack of democracy in the Highlands planning matters.
He said the biggest threat to the national grid is the risk of a blackout and added he is supporting a cross-party group for a fairer democratic system.
Wills said: “The pushback against new energy projects is fuelled by the scale and pace of development, the lack of local decision-making powers and by the fact that communities and society are not retaining a fair share of value.
“Community councils are made up of volunteers and it is clear that many of them are overwhelmed by the number of planning applications coming across their desks.”
In her closing statement Crawford described the discussion as a much-needed debate in the Highlands.
She announced the next steps, with the contents of a “Communique regarding local democracy and the need for parliament debate on the unified statement” projected on the screen:
“We the undersigned recognise the pivotal role of community councils to ensuring local democracy is respected
“We undertake to do all that we can across our respective parties to secure urgent debates at both Holyrood and in the House of Commons”.
This was overwhelmingly approved by show of hand.
Copy provided by Silvia Muras, Kyle Chronicle
This article is part of The Power Shift – a collaborative investigation by 10 independent, community-based publishers across Scotland, including Shetland News, exploring the impact of the green energy transition on communities.
Co-ordinated by the Scottish Beacon and supported by the Tenacious Journalism Awards, the project aims to amplify local voices, facilitate cross-community learning and push for fair, transparent energy development.
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