Letters / Legal history
Sustainable Shetland (SuS) has made legal history. Lady Clark’s judgement is the first successful wind farm challenge at judicial review in Scotland. (Government to appeal Viking ruling; SN, 02/10/13)
A small (large by Shetland standards) community group has achieved what nobody has achieved before.
This landmark judgement has wind farm developers, energy giants, and the Scottish government in a spin (no pun intended), and rendered the Viking Energy wind farm planning consent null and void.
VE is going to continue its “positive momentum”, we’re told. “Positive momentum” without at least an occasional reality-check all too easily turns to delusion.
Six years of “positive momentum” and £13 million later – what is there to show? A planning application that isn’t worth the paper it was written on.
SuS has warned time and again that this would end in tears. Perhaps, from now on, somebody will listen?
The judicial review was won against enormous odds. While Scottish Ministers can spend our taxes at will and VE has seemingly unlimited (no questions asked) access to our oil funds, SuS is run by unpaid volunteers and, apart from a donation from John Muir Trust, the cost of the JR was carried entirely by donations and fund-raising activities from/by SuS members and supporters.
SuS is made up of individuals of all ages and span Shetland’s entire social spectrum; individuals who care passionately about Shetland’s environment, its unique landscape, its flora and fauna, but most of all about the health and well-being of their families, friends and neighbours.
Shetlanders have always helped each other in times of need, and the great financial commitment and months of hard work which made this victory possible have shown that Shetland’s legendary community spirit, deeply rooted in the islands’ traditions and history, is not only alive and kicking but has, in this case, risen supremely to the challenge. Shetland’s community spirit has triumphed against all odds.
This is a time to rejoice and high time for Shetland Charitable Trust to pull the plug on Viking Energy once and for all, before any more of our money is wasted in the blinkered pursuit of an imaginary fleshpot.
I have not the slightest doubt that renewable energy is going to play a vital role in Shetland’s future, but not by destroying our environment and unique landscape, not by riding rough-shod over democratic principles, not by putting the health and property of Shetland communities at risk, not by increasing the already intolerable financial burden on those living in fuel poverty, not by bringing riches to SSE shareholders, the “Burradale boys”, a few wealthy landowners, or by keeping the lights burning in Scottish cities.
Shetland needs renewable energy projects that are ‘fit for scale and purpose’, community projects that involve our community in a meaningful and truly democratic way, and bring tangible benefits to each and everyone in Shetland.
Rosa Steppanova
Tresta
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