COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Thursday 15 June 2006 at 7.00 pm.

PRESENT	Mr Alex A MacDonald (Convener)
	Mr Angus Campbell (Vice-Convener)
	Mr John Mackay	Mrs Morag Munro
	Mr Roderick Morrison	Mr Donald Macdonald
	Mr Norman A Macdonald	Mr Archie Campbell
	Mr Malcolm J Graham	Mr Donald Maclean
	Mr Ian M Macleod	Mr Martin C Taylor
	Mr Neil Campbell	Mr Peter Carlin
	Mr Angus Nicolson	Mr Ronald J Mackinnon
	Mr Murdo Macleod	Mr Angus Macdonald
	Mr Angus McCormack
	Mr Norman M Macleod
	Mr Alexander M Mackintosh
	Mrs Annie MacDonald
APOLOGIES	Miss Samantha E L Hawkins	Mr George Lonie
	Mr Iain Morrison	Mr Norman L Macdonald
	Mr Keith Dodson	Mr Donald I Nicholson
	Mr Angus M Graham	Mr Neil Campbell
	Mr Donald J Macsween

Declaration of Interest	1	Mr Angus MacCormack declared an interest in item 3.
		QUESTIONS
Written Questions to the Convener and the Chairman of Committees	2	There were no written questions.

		COMMITTEES
Committee Decision Reports	3	The Committee Decision Reports were submitted as undernoted. The Comhairle considered the recommendations in the Committee Decision reports as follows Environmental Services Committee – 15 June 2006 Mr Angus Nicolson seconded by Mr Ian M Macleod moved the terms of the decision report as follows; that the Scottish Ministers be advised that the Comhairle is of the view that consent should be granted to the amended proposal submitted by Beinn Mhor Power for 53 three-megawatt turbines and associated developments, as detailed in the Report by the Head of Development Services at Muaitheabhal, Eishken Estate, Isle of Lewis, subject to the terms and conditions submitted by the Comhairle on 13 July 2005 to the Scottish Ministers, but supplemented by expressions of disappointment that the amendment has been influenced by avoidance of eagles to the detriment of the level of socio-economic benefit that was offered by the original scheme and without benefit to either the landscape or to people living in the nearest settlements of Maraig and Ardvourlie/Scaladal. Mrs Morag Munro seconded by Mr Donald Macdonald moved the following amendment: that the Scottish Ministers be advised that the Comhairle is of the view that the amended proposal should be refused on the grounds that the amended layout would ; (a) Harm the general landscape of the area by presenting a disjointed layout that would fail to follow guidelines for windfarm layouts in Planning Note 45; (b) Harm the Loch Seaforth area of the South Lewis, Harris and North Uist National Scenic Area to a degree that would compromise the objectives of the National Scenic Area designation and the overall integrity of the area; (c) Fail, in its reduced size, to outweigh any significant adverse effects on the qualities for which the South Lewis, Harris and North Uist National Scenic Area has been designated by generating social and economic benefits of national importance; (d) Involve constructing turbines closer to the shore of Loch Seaforth and houses in Maraig and Ardvourlie/Scaladal and so, by reasons of potential noise, disturbance and visual impact, would fail to meet the requirements of Structure Plan policy DM1 that gives support to proposals “that can be absorbed without harming the local social, economic or environmental characteristics of the Sustainable Community Area in which they are located” and to Structure Policy plan ED2 that gives positive support to renewable energy developments “subject to satisfactory assessment of all” of a set of criteria, including “the impact on local communities and any other existing or proposed land uses and interests”; and (e) Have a detrimental effect on road safety and also that the proposed reduction in benefits to the community is propotionally much less than the reduction in the number of turbines. On the matter being put to the vote the motion received the majority of the votes cast and became the finding of the meeting.