Biomass project presentation
On a Saturday in mid-January, the Community Theatre in Lamlash contained a big display of boards detailing every aspect of the proposed scheme to generate timber-fired power on the Heights between Whiting Bay and Lamlash. Inventively, pads of Post-It notes stood on each table with an invitation to stick a comment on the relevant board, and the offer was being taken up with alacrity. Most of the comments asked sensible questions about waste heat and pollution, and no names or addresses were asked for.
Fergus Tickell, pictured here talking to Joe Trickett, devised the scheme originally as part of an affordable housing project that would have provided homes heated by the wood-burning plant, but this was disallowed by NAC on the grounds that is was outwith the village envelope. Since then, concerns have been expressed about emissions and possible air pollution – yet, as several people have pointed out, there is a big rise in people using wood-burning stoves as a response to the hike in oil prices, and nobody queries their emissions. Equally true is the fact that historically, houses and cottages have been heated by burning peat, wood then coal for several centuries.
Jo Morgan and Dave Tapson, whose house and candle-making workshop are the nearest habitation to the proposed plant, had strong reservations about the plan when it was first suggested. However, at the presentation, Jo said she was persuaded that the emission question was being responsibly tackled and felt that on balance, the scheme should go ahead.
Informal conversations between those present tended to centre round a basic agreement that Arran needs to generate sustainable, non-polluting energy in a variety of ways, both domestic (solar panels, ground-source, small turbines) and public. There seemed to be a growing agreement that the production of electrical power should be a co-operative enterprise, with a pay-back to all members of the community.
A copy of the presentation is shown below. It is also on the Arran Community Council website which you can see here. If you know someone who doesn’t have access to the internet then please tell them that printed copies are also available in the Brodick Library. The closing date for responses is February 1st, so you need to be quick! A second consultation event has been organised for the 2nd of March (see the poster below) when you’ll find if your views have been considered.
