Letter to East Lothian Courier 2nd Sept 2024
In his Courier article on 29th August Paul McLennan MSP noted the ambition of the Scottish Government for Scotland to be the worlds first clean energy superpower.
The need for renewable energy is recognised. However, the proposals need to be balanced with the impact on communities where infrastructure is built.
When the Scottish Cabinet met in Haddington in 2023 I raised concerns with the First Minister about the impact of energy development proposals on the rural communities of the East Lammermuir area. He said that the concerns of residents must be heard and that there should be co production of proposals with local people. Local communities should not be adversely impacted.
Since then there have been multiple more proposals for energy infrastucture. The most recent is Springfield Solar Farm – 400 acres of prime agricultural land near the conservation village of Oldhamstocks to be developed as a solar farm with an associated Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
Each application is looked at on its own merits. Some are agreed by ELC, some by the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit and some by the UK Government body Ofgem. It is the Scottish Power Energy Network (SPEN) proposal for a substation at Branxton, which is a UK level decision, which has led to the gold rush of applications for energy developments seeking a grid connection in the East Lammermuir area.
The result, if all are consented, is a cumulative impact on the roads network (particularly small rural roads and dangerous A1 junctions), biodiversity, loss of prime agricultural land, industrialization of the rural landscape and above all on the residents of the area.
The proposed developments will all come in the same timescale. This raises concerns about where construction workers will be accommodated. That issue has been raised for over 3 years and ELC have to come up with answers. The Council leader has previously suggested floating hotels on the First of Forth!. When asked, Paul McLennan has said that ELC must take the lead. As noted elsewhere ELC Policy is seeing a reduction in short term lets and there is as potential for construction worker accommodation needs to compete with tourist accommodation.
It is essential that community concerns are actively heard by decision makers. Over 100 people attended the public consultation event at Oldhamstocks Village Hall for the Springfield Solar Farm to raise their concerns. However, to date, community concerns have not been taken forward on developments. A BESS proposal at Aikengall was approved in August 2024 without discussion at Planning Committee despite objections from East Lammermuir and West Barns Community Councils and without any public engagement by the developer, an offshoot of Community Windpower. A BESS at Innerwick, which will be decided by Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit (ECU) will not see an ELC Officer report discussed at Planning Committee because it was not called in by an ELC Councillor. Again there were community and Community Council objections. It is noted that in Fife any development that is opposed by statutory consultees like community councils must go to Planning Committee.
The community concerns are not nimbyist. They are a wish for the community voice to be heard. The energy infrastructure will be in place for over 40 years. Many proposals are for development on prime agricultural land which will not be available to produce food at a time of growing concerns about food security in the face of global conflicts.
Jacquie Bell
East Lothian Liberal Democrats
Belhaven, Dunbar