Western Isles Development Trust Moves Ahead |
31 October 2005 |
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The Western Isles Development Trust (WIDT) has formally launched its initial Business Plan outlining the wide range of activity that the Trust hopes to support. The WIDT is the body set up to negotiate community benefit from renewable energy developers. The objectives of the Development Trust are to encourage and assist economic, educational, environmental, cultural, social and recreational projects for the benefit of the people of the Western Isles. The Development Trust is comprised of a range of local bodies and agencies and it is in the process of establishing a fund to support its developmental objectives. The main element of the fund will be achieved from community benefits paid to the Development Trust by developers seeking to establish renewable energy projects in the Western Isles. The Trust has been in detailed negotiation with developers and has secured a significant package of community benefits. The activities of the Development Trust, outlined in its Business Plan, are geared towards encouraging new development across the Western Isles. The Business Plan places great emphasis on local co-operation and is complementary to the work of local agencies and existing agency mainstream support programmes. The Business Plan identifies three “Strands” of activity that the Development Trust anticipates investing in: A range of examples are given in the Business Plan of the type of activity that the Development Trust will invest in. Examples include: · projects that enhance the islands environmental and archaeological assets · activity in schools to further an understanding of renewable energy · transport projects, which utilise renewable technologies such as hydrogen · community infrastructure projects such as village halls, the Comunn Eachdraidh movement and the Gaelic Language Revitalisation Plan · community projects which will help stem the outward migration of young people Trust Chairman Mr. Peter Carlin said: “Western Isles Development Trust believes that the present wind-farm applications offer the Western Isles significant new development opportunities. If the present applications receive planning permission from the Scottish Executive our communities will receive one of the most significant packages of benefits ever negotiated with wind-farm developers. “The Development Trust has negotiated a number of options in regard to benefits, including payments for installed capacity and the opportunity to take a community ownership stake in the farms. Both developers, for example, are committed to making up to 20% and 25% of their wind-farms available to the community, which could result in up to 79 turbines being placed in community ownership. A community farm of this scale would deliver significant revenues to the community - 79 turbines, for example, would deliver annual revenues of £48m and, at a conservative estimate, annual profits of £6m.” Mr. Carlin continued, “These new revenues will present our communities with a raft of new investment choices and the initial Western Isles Development Trust Business Plan lays out the type of activity that the Trust will invest in. The Plan is ambitious and outlines an excellent cross-section of activity. It proposes to assist a range of community projects and outlines a range of possibilities such as assisting the development of community halls, providing core funding to the Comunn Eachdraidh movement and supporting the Gaelic Language Revitalisation Plan. Ends Note to Newsdesks 1. The Western Isles Development Trust is comprised of representatives from the Outer Hebrides Community Planning Partnership; the Hebridean Renewable Energy Partnership; the Scottish Crofters Foundation; the Association of Community Councils and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. 2. Copies of the Western Isles Development Trust Business Plan are available from Calum Iain Maciver - 01851 709594
Ends Nigel Scott Tel: 01851 709389 (Work) |
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