Trust maintains objection to wind farm on peatlands on Isle of Yell

In October 2020 the John Muir Trust added its concerns to those already expressed for why a site in the north west of Yell, with strong relative wildness and healthy, carbon-storing, life-sustaining peatlands, is not an appropriate site for 23 turbines plus associated tracks, hard standings, cables and on-site substation.

In response to consultee feeedback, the developer subsequently revised their proposal, reducing the number of turbines from 23 to 18 and removing associated tracks, infrastructure and borrow pits. The revised proposals were submitted as a second round of Additional Information in September 2021 and the Trust was given an opportunity to comment.

In commenting the Trust maintained its objection. Whilst the revised plans reduce the extent of impacts on priority peatlands, the proposed habitat restoration plans and compensatory measures, do not make up for the overall expected loss of priority peatland habitats or the loss of the associated qualities of this wild place.

You can read our full objection below.

UPDATE: on 25 January 2023 the John Muir Trust submitted further comments on this application with reference to the approved NPF4. You can find our further comments available to download below. 

FURTHER UPDATE: in a decision letter dated 2 October 2023, Scottish Ministers consented the Energy Isles wind farm, comprising 18 wind turbines with a blade to tip height not exceeding 180 metres. In the decision, Scottish Ministers reasoned that the off-site peatland restoration measures, which are included as a condition of planning consent, would compensate for the destruction to peatland caused by construction.

We are extremely disappointed with this decision. In particular, we are disappointed with the reasoning that destroying wild places can be justified on the basis of ‘compensatory measures’. This suggests that rare, wild habitats, which are a complex web of ecological relationships, formed over millennia, can be replaced by managing land to a minimum, agreed standard, elsewhere.

We would like to see much bolder policy intent on protecting the remaining healthy peatlands in Scotland and the UK, combined with much stronger enforcement of planning conditions.