Windfarm company hopes to build up to 26 turbines at Dale of Walls

An English-based renewable energy company is looking to build a windfarm at Dale of Walls with up to 26 turbines.

Inazin has already spoken to the Walls and Sandness Community Council to gauge initial opinion about its proposal for hill land which is part of the Vaila and Burrastow estates, owned by Henry Anderton.

Meetings were due to be held in Walls and Sandness this week but have been postponed.

Community council chairman Ian Walterson said Inazin was still in the process of deciding which size and type of turbine to propose for the windfarm before returning to consult the communities.

A spokeswoman for Inazin confirmed the company’s interest in Shetland but said the project was a long way from reaching the planning application stage.

The company is involved in developing windfarms in Scotland with a total capacity of 100 megawatts and claims experience in developing over 10 times that amount of windpower in the UK.

Inazin is one of a number of ventures established by renewables entrepreneur Mark Shorrock, including Scottish company Wind Energy, investment companies Low Carbon Investors, the Low Carbon Accelerator Fund and Low Carbon Solar Holdings.

Controversially, the Low Carbon Accelerator Fund was the investor in the Scottish small turbines company Proven which pulled out suddenly, precipitating Proven’s collapse after technical problems with one of its turbines last year.

A number of other developers have been looking for windfarm sites in Shetland. All significant developments depend on the Viking Energy windfarm going ahead and bringing the interconnector power cable to the mainland to send electricity to the National Grid.

COMMENTS(25)

Add Your Comment
  • Brian Gray

    • July 3rd, 2012 17:19

    A big can or worms have been opened by the approval of the VE project. If some planning control is not introduced, every square foot of Shetland will have a turbine on it. The VE project is more than enough for this county – any more will just be fueling the greed of individuals, not benificial to the community and should not be entertained.

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  • ian tinkler

    • July 3rd, 2012 18:52

    O what a surprise. Here we go, here we go, here we go. The Viking turbine forest sowing seed. How many more? I for one will be moving on, on retirement, I do not want to see this happen to Shetland. Enjoy those who proposed and supported Viking, these things will overshadow your lives too, Very arty for Les Lowes et al .
    .

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  • James Mackenzie

    • July 3rd, 2012 19:29

    Here we go. The carpetbaggers are moving in to take up extra capacity on the proposed interconnector, and the SIC has no policy on windfarms over 20MW, thanks to the council’s decision on the Viking Windfarm in December 2010.

    This was license for environmental despoliation on a grand scale. And who will take responsibility?

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  • Johan Adamson

    • July 4th, 2012 9:01

    We will all be leaving. Viking directors can live on this massive windfarm group of islands on their own. It wont just be Aith and Nesting residents who will need compensation, it will be all of us.

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  • ian tinkler

    • July 4th, 2012 9:15

    Henry Anderton, soon to become a millionaire Laird once again. Will Peter come home or spend it all down south? Strange what comes from “Dark Satanic Miles”! Sorry Henry I expected better.

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  • Rosa Steppanova

    • July 4th, 2012 11:02

    I have always found Ian Tinkler’s personal comments and attacks distasteful, but this one is beyond the pale. I’d like to take this opportunity to point out that Mr. Tinkler is not a member of SuS (Sustainable Shetland).

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  • Ron Stronach

    • July 4th, 2012 12:24

    Shetland is beautiful and deserves to be kept that way, not covered in these huge wind mills, I overtook one of the blades as it was being deliverd down the M1 last week, each blade is huge, times this by the 100+ for VE and another 26 by some other Sooth Mooth company, where does it end.
    It certainly wont be for the good of my Islands to look like a kddies play yard full of oversized wind mills!

    Ian might not be a member of sutainable Shetland, neither am I, he might put things “differently” but I have to agree with him on this monstrosity that will engulf Shetland and the greed of some individuals.

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  • ian tinkler

    • July 4th, 2012 12:25

    Thanks Rosa. But is it not true?

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  • ian tinkler

    • July 4th, 2012 14:28

    Let me explain myself my words for the enlightenment of Rosa and others, It is already wealthy people why stand to make millions from wind farms. Not SSE or Viking energy but fat cat directors, bankers, shareholders, landlords and of course do not forget and Lairds whom will profit magnificently at so much cost to others. Henry Anderton, personable as he is, will profit hugely, beyond most people’s dreams of avarice from wind farm ventures. Just what exactly has he, his ancestors or family ever done to achieve such wealth? Remember just who pays for ROC subsidies, they are financed directly from our electricity bills! Rock on Rosa, now show some gumption and fight the people advocating wind farms, bland protest will get you nowhere as the events of the past few days sadly demonstrate so well.

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  • W Conroy

    • July 4th, 2012 14:34

    The foot has been jammed in the door and now the “reputable salesmen” are queuing up…

    Guess we’ll have to make new signs up. Any ideas?

    How about – “Welcome To Shetland, Windfarm capital of Europe”
    Or maybe – “Welcome to Shetland, The Windmill Isle”

    Lets look on the bright side. Tourists might love to visit an Island completely covered in windmills. Lets not forget there’s nothing like the sound of whirling blades while you’re admiring the beautiful scenery!

    SIGH.

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  • Trevor Carr

    • July 4th, 2012 16:46

    Sadly this seems to be the way with these windfarms, once a community allow them to be built then the floodgates are open for more developments on their cost tails. See a similar problem being played out in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, where they are protesting against yet more being built. Hopefully this is stopped before these beautiful islands are covered in the things.

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  • Henry Anderton

    • July 4th, 2012 18:58

    Perhaps Mr Tinkler should check out all the facts and get it right before mouthing off. I find it distasteful that he should bring my children and forebears into this discussion when clearly he has no idea about what the latter did for the local community. The plan was to discuss the proposal with the local community first, and from my point of view, if they do’nt want it then it does not happen, if the scheme should go ahead then it would be based on the Fintry model, with the Walls and Sandness community benifitting.

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  • Robert Lowes

    • July 4th, 2012 19:43

    Why wasn’t Mr Tinkler elected to the council in the last round of elections? He’s such a charmer! And wasn’t it nice of him to start slagging off someone’s child publicly.

    What was that quote about glass houses and stones?

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  • Rose Young

    • July 4th, 2012 20:56

    I don’t think I’ve met Ian Tinkler, so have no idea why he would want to pitch his argument by attacking someone -and their children – in such a personal manner?

    His point of view drips such vitriol it rather speaks volumes on perhaps a twisted idea of accidents of birth . Surely, its about an individual’s decision, for or against, the windmill controversy. Everyone has a right to their opinion and shouldn’t have to be the subject of personal attacks.

    Ian, your comment was unbecoming….

    Looking at it from here, all I can say is get a life….

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  • Ronnie Robertson

    • July 4th, 2012 21:15

    So on 28th June we hear of another £ 6.3 million CT funds being doled out to further the desecration of Shetland by VE. A mere 5 days later we hear of yet another Windfarm company trying to get their foot in the door. Seems a bit strange to me we did not hear of this before Thursdays meeting.

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  • Mary Macgregor

    • July 4th, 2012 22:16

    Being one of the closest residents to the proposed site, why don’t we lobby to make sure that what Henry says (above) actually happens “if the locals don’t want it, it won’t happen”.
    Or if it is going to happen, make sure it doesn’t destroy some of the wildest, most spectacular, coastline on the west coast. And incidentally which boasts a fair-sized colony of the hated but highly protected bonxie. Different size altogether from the whimbrel…
    Relocate the turbines to the top of the peat hill !!

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  • ian tinkler

    • July 4th, 2012 23:40

    Just what is your share in the proposed rent from Viking Energy Mr. Anderson? Just how many of your Tennant Crofters did you consult before agreeing to permit their hill rights to be desecrated? Why such indecent hast rushing into a new wind farm? Forgive me for my skepticism but, you claim the plan was to discuss the proposal with the local community first, that was not your way when your tenants and local community had Viking Energy inflicted on them. Your silence on that mater was stunning. My question about Peter is highly relevant. We have been informed many times how wind farms will bring wealth into Shetland. You are not immortal, Peter is perhaps your heir, and he at present is not resident on Shetland. Surly that is pertinent? I have made no critic of Peter, certainly not slaged him off as Mr. Lowes alleges nor attacked him as Rose Young has claimed. My critique is of a ROC system exploited by the landlords, landowners and lairds at the cost of the majority. The claim of community benefit has never been realized from wind farms, the lairds and landowners profits have been obscene…. It was absolutely clear the vast majority of West Side voters voted for anti VE and wind farm candidates, those views were ignored totally by yourself. As I said, I expected better of you.

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  • Frank Hay

    • July 5th, 2012 9:36

    ” if they don’t want it then it does not happen”
    Now where have I heard something like that before?

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  • ian tinkler

    • July 5th, 2012 10:14

    Dreams of avarice. For information on likely profit for Lairds and landowners review: http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/how-wind-turbines-generate-huge-profits-for-the-rich-21800
    If Henry Anderton would pledge all 150 million pounds plus, estimated profit from his new wind farm venyure, to the community rather than his own pocket, I would owe him an apology. That would cost nothing.

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  • Kathy Greaves

    • July 5th, 2012 10:30

    What happened to our proud refrain “boannie isles, Shetland isles….”, and the expensively produced logo – Shetland, Pride of Place.

    We’ll have to forgo those sentiments if a giant wind farm – or a proliferation of wind farms – should be allowed to go ahead.

    Kathy Greaves

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  • Jane Leask

    • July 5th, 2012 14:01

    Just glad to see that Mr Tinkler will not be spending his retirement in Clousta.

    Jane Leask (Clousta)

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  • Ian Tinkler

    • July 5th, 2012 15:16

    Ten years yet Jane, great to have you as a friend..

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  • Kathryn Macdonald

    • July 5th, 2012 22:15

    I am perusing your comments as I research the Shetland community to get a feel of the place – my family and I are planning to “move to Shetland” soon. It’s refreshing to see such passion for the place you call home. Wind turbines may be very productive on Shetland, but it seems also divisive. Whilst it seems unfair that Shetland should house all the turbines that it can fit, for the benefit of the National Grid ( and therefore mostly to the benefit of mainland UK ), the contributors thus far have not adopted a NIMBY attitude, for which they should be commended. IF any go ahead, perhaps there could be agreement reached on a maximum number for the whole of Shetland and areas which must remain void of turbine charms, both audible and visual? The land owner WILL increase their wealth, indubitably, but that wealth will disappear well before the legacy and legend of the turbines coming to Shetland – buyer beware!

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  • Sandy McMillan

    • July 6th, 2012 17:02

    My comments months ago, once they get a foothold, these huge wind turbines will grow like weeds, without a pesticide to control the spread, it will become not be where we can go, (but where can we squeeze another turbine in, (FACT)
    Sandy McMillan

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  • ian tinkler

    • July 6th, 2012 23:41
    REPLY

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