Orkney Image Library

So whits the problem no body in the toon would mind if hid wiz any whar else in Orkney wid they!!!
Whur been tae Holland a few times and they are all over, come on, bring them on,
AND THIR IS PLENTY O WIND ABOOT KIRKWALL.
Am away tae me bunker afore the the guns open up on Vagaland!!
(J B o the V F F)

[Just as well you put your name to this unprovoked attack on The Toon and its good burghers, or it would never have seen the light of day! - Steven]

I hope that this is a view we never have to see as it is proposed to be built within a 2km buffer zone which is in place around Kirkwall to protect people from having to live next to these huge turbines. It's not only the visitors who will have to live with it, its the folk who live here. This one is almost twice the height of the cathedral spire.

If you wish to object please sign the petition online or in various shops in Kirkwall and more importantly send objections to [email protected]

Click here for petition site

So.......what's the problem? If they don't want to look at the turbine, they can turn round and enjoy the view of Kirkwall, the bay and out towards the North Isles.

Its an unbelievable size and certainly will dominate Kirkwall and the ferry terminal, we are now the third largest destination in the UK for liners - is this how we want to greet our cruise liner visitors?

Its a hell o a lot better than what they see at Gills Bay when crossing on the Pentalina.

The turbine is needed to finance the proposed Orkney Energy Gateway development at hatston which is fair enough. The only question that really needs to be answered is this one - Does the turbine need to be built at Hatston? The answer to which is no.... the reason being that it could be in Sanday, Stronsay or Burgar Hill or even on the Cassiemire in Caithness and it would still be able to finance the project. The turbine is only a means to make money and doesn't need to be at Hatston.

We are all entitled to our views and long may we have the freedom to voice them but I'm not sure if I agree with the "Image Library" being used for political canvassing and links to a petition.
By allowing this, a precedent has been set. Where does it end?
I don't want to see something that is at present, interesting, amusing and informative used by everyone who has an axe to grind.

This turbine will look huge in relation to Kirkwall and our Cathedral and be there for a minimum of 25 years - something could easily be done about tidying up Gills Bay, if this gets planning permission within the 2km buffer zone of Kirkwall set by our own planning authority then look out ! Because that will set a precedent for every wind turbine developer to bend the rules of every 2km buffer zone round all of our towns and villages in Orkney.

There's plenty worse eyesores around Kirkwall, Hatston would look better for it, take your eye off all the crap that lies about there. Just go round to Inganess theres another scrapyard there and nobody seems to do anyhing about it but thats not on our front door so it is ok.

If they allow this monster to go through planning, then they better start thinking about letting people in the country build houses that are not in ZONED areas. Only a few weeks ago they mentioned that planning application numbers were down, well what about people that want to build that do not need a mortgage, which is the main reason numbers are down. People cant get the money to borrow. Maybe we should all put in a planning application with a wind turbine to power the house, and help finance the building and running costs by selling back the electricity. Would that be any different for the Hatston proposal.

Would it be possible to generate electicity from all the hot air from people arguing about this turbine I wonder?

I can point to more sensitive locations where turbines have either been installed or planning has been granted by OIC. For example, Hammars Hill (Evie & Rendall) or Kingarley Hill (Rousay), the latter right up tight to a SSSI. So, the Hatston turbine, if it went ahead, would be a sort of introduction to what visiting folk might see dotted around the islands. Hatston is a showcase for what it is – an industrial estate. In that sense the turbine would not be out of place. Even a standard 6 kilowatt machine stands at nearly fifty feet to the tip of the blade and you would require 150 of these to match a 900 kilowatt machine similar to the one on Burray.

Wherever turbines appear in Orkney they are bound to be conspicuous. Some like ‘em, others don’t, but it cannot be denied that such structures are not compatible with the concept of natural habitat, whatever the outcome for Hatston itself.

I used to be against wind turbines but am now of the opinion that we need to act now to combat climate change. HOWEVER if this gets planning permision then we can all build what we want where we want, as this flies in the face of planning policy.
It is simply needed to make an otherwise unviable business viable. The renewables industry currently employs a lot of people who do a great deal of talking but produce sod-all. Despite ten million pounds of funding EMEC in Stromness has produced enough power to boil one kettle and Eday has produced enough to power one house for one week. There is proven technology out there, lets produce some electricity and less hot air.

"it cannot be denied that such structures are not compatible with the concept of natural habitat, whatever the outcome for Hatston itself"

Can someone translate that into plain english for me please!

"it cannot be denied that such structures are not compatible with the concept of natural habitat, whatever the outcome for Hatston itself"

Cetainly, Dave. Give me a means of contacting you and I'll do my best.

John Vetterlein

i can't see any problem with the turbine.Take a trip out to sanday and the first thing you see are 3 huge windmills at the top o the pier. Nothing wrong with planting them there and any cruise liner passengers arriving there are firstly greeted with the view of hatston industrial site which in my view is an absolute disgrace what with rotten old boats and machinery lying around. The windmill might even take thier eyes away from the rubbish up there ?

You can ignore pylons in the countryside, but a windmill immediately attracts your attention because it's moving. Anyhow they are more about making money than electricity if people would only admit it.

"Certainly, Dave. Give me a means of contacting you and I'll do my best."

It's ok John, cracked it now, I get a mental block with double negatives!
Anyway, I agree!

In response to Ian Tait's comments on EMEC,

It's a test bed... it's primary purpose is not to generate electricity but to facilitate the development of marine energy devices. The government funding that EMEC receives is but a drop in the ocean of what is required to build a fledgling industry. Bear in mind that Dounreay receives £200million annually to clean up the remains of the nuclear industry.

The renewables industry does employ a lot of people, correct. They do not however produce "sod-all"; the renewables industry at present is still in the R&D phases of development. The work of companies in Stromness like EMEC, ICIT, Scotrenewables, Aurora Exodus and Aquatera are renowned throughout the world for leading the way in R&D in the marine sector, and therefore should be a source of pride, not an opportunity to make ill-informed jibes.

Ian, be rest assured that the marine renewables sector is taking off in a dramatic an exciting way. Orkney is entering a brave new world that will arrive, sooner or later. We are powerless to stop it, but we are not powerless to steer it towards an Orcadian bias.

Regarding the Hatston development:

If you don't like the look of a wind turbine then that's that, and you're completely entitled to your standpoint. But it does not mean that that opinion holds any more water than the opinion of someone who thinks turbines are architecturally stunning. My point is that all visual arguments for and against, are subjective. They don't hold credence with what is necessary to build a sound argument free of emotional prejudice.

Wind turbines are about making money. So what. But so is Heddle Quarry, so is Flotta, so is Ortak so is Helgi's or Fusion or Pentland Ferries. All these local businesses are brilliant for Orkney, they sustain the economy and therefore the quality of life for the average Orcadian. The amazing thing is that a wind turbine can pull real money out of thin air with a positive net effect on the environment. Brilliant, money being made in Orkney!

But the fact is inescapable that it is also about generating electricity and from what i have read, this particular turbine is special in the way that not only does it generate clean electricity but it will also help to sustain and develop low revenue renewables companies. It's an amazing concept. Most turbines are built to pump out just electricity and money, this one is to be built first and foremost for promoting renewable energy development. I can't think of another one like it.

Regardless of which side of the argument you believe, the truths and lies of this saga will uncover themselves eventually.

Lets just hope that we can all work together as a community in future.

Much Love