Letters / Bressay’s strategic role in Shetland’s future
John Scott is rightly pontificating and complaining(?) about Viking Energy and potential replications of it, on- or offshore, to the detriment of our landscape and waters.
Mr Scott perhaps goes a little too far re our uniqueness. Our principal uniqueness is of course our geographic location, geology and history. Some of the ‘tops’ in the Yorkshire Dales are very similar to some of our rolling, rocky barren peaty hills and knowes. Bareness has its beauty I agree.
Many agree with Mr Scott and Hannah Mary Goodlad, that VE was indeed far too big and not right for Shetland’s needs, first and foremost. We were diddled by SSE.
Give a project a fluffy heritage-linked name (Viking) and that’ll sell it to ‘da moothless’ natives. Which it did. Little did they know? The silent majority remained silent. Vested interests or apathy or the contracts and the construction jobs?
Those of us who campaigned against SSE’s Viking Energy, as part of Sustainable Shetland, wanted much smaller, strategically placed wind farm sites to serve our local communities’ needs first, to be owned by the communities (Green Party policy) via Local Development Companies (LDCs).
LDCs exist in Bressay itself, Mr. Scott’s ‘turf’, but also in Sandwick, Scalloway, Eastside, Northmavine, Bigton, Yell and Unst.
Like SHEAP, our (yes!) local energy company with its district heating scheme, a wholly owned company of our (yes, our!) charitable trust, yes ours, really!
What was his position when VE was being proposed? Was he a member of Sustainable Shetland? He doesn’t say. Did he sign the petition against? He doesn’t say? Did he join us (Sustainable Shetland) outside Lerwick Town Hall to deliver the NO petition to the SIC? He doesn’t say.
What was his position on wind energy between 2010-2015, when the Lib Dems were in coalition with the most right-wing government.
The project was approved by the Scottish Government – a democratic majority for Scotland, as the project overall is, one hopes, for all of Scotland’s benefit. Until we get a grip, we are of course still under Holyrood and Westminster.
What did Beatrice Wishart’s Lib Dem predecessor, also a Mr Scott do to prevent Viking Energy during his third term as our MSP?
Both SNP and Greens are offering us more control. Are we capable of or indeed willing to exercise it? Or will we remain endless pleepsers or moothless?
Would any more wind generators (two/three currently?) appear on Bressay through its Community Development Company to independently and sustainably meet Bressay’s electrical needs, or will landowners there say no?
The SNP prospective candidate, Hannah Mary Goodlad and the Scottish Greens are already proposing what Mr Scott is very clearly but belatedly suggesting.
Will John Scott be voting Green or SNP in May? For environmental or any other sensible practical policies, and good leadership, it can only be one or the other.
I think we deserve to know. He has questions, and rightly so. I have a few of my own for him.
Finally, landowners on Bressay should contemplate land use and maybe give up some of their vast acreage for more sustainable purposes like houses to rent or rent to buy schemes, to prevent Bressay’s further depopulation and eventual death.
In providing much needed housing, Bressay would be playing its strategic part for Shetland easing the congestion and over-crowding of the extremely unhealthy and un-environmentally friendly expansion of Lerwick and then justifying a fixed link – if they really want one?
If not, they should maybe start paying more for their ferry service – much more regular than many rural bus services! Perhaps the new hospital could go to Bressay, that would justify a tunnel. Oh, and we’ll need a new Lerwick & Bressay graveyard soon. Bressay landowners’ views, please?
Perhaps an important and related aside. Of the three Lerwick councillors representing Lerwick North & Bressay, perhaps one of the three should come from Bressay.
So, I for one am very keen to hear more detail from Mr Scott about Bressay’s future strategic energy contribution and other roles.
James J Paton
Lerwick
