Faray Project - Consultation thanks

A quick update on Orkney’s Community Wind Farm Project – Faray.

The pre-application consultation period closed on November 30. We had a great response to the consultation - many thanks to everyone who took the time to give their views - it is very much appreciated and the comments received will help shape the final application documents.

Although we were restricted in being unable to carry out a face to face exhibition event, we were able to take up some really fantastic additional opportunities to consult with the local community including a request from Eday Community Council to send postal packs directly to people living in the community, video presentations to older pupils at Westray Junior High School and taking part in the Westray Wireless podcast, answering questions submitted by the community. If you missed that, you can catch it here.

One of the key concerns that was raised with us during the consultation period was the grey seal population attached to Faray. We’ve provided some additional information on that here in an earlier project blog in response to those concerns.

The responses received during the consultation period will now go into a pre-application consultation report that is submitted as part of the planning application documents. In the pre-application report we’ll show how the comments received have shaped the final application.

We’d take the opportunity here to remind you that any comments received by us during the pre-application consultation were to us as the applicant, not the planning authority. When the application is submitted – and you want to show your support or objection to the proposals – you still need to do that through the planning authority.

We’ll provide further information on how to do that when the planning application is submitted and ready for public comment. We’re aiming for late January/early February to do this.

As ever if you have any queries or concerns please not hesitate Project Officer Kirsty Groundwater on kirsty.groundwater@orkney.gov.uk.

Very best wishes and we hope you all enjoy a safe and restful Christmas and New Year.