Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has welcomed moves by the SNP in Europe in questioning the flexibility of European designations.  The Natura Habitats and Birds Directive has been cited by civil servants as the reason for Scottish Ministers being ‘minded to refuse’ a major windfarm development in Lewis.

In response to a letter from SNP Councillor Annie Macdonald, Alyn Smith MEP has raised the issue of designations with the European Commissioner for the Environment, Stavros Dimas.

In a response to Mr Smith’s query, Commissioner Dimas, said: “The Commission is well aware that climate change is likely to exacerbate the loss of biodiversity and that European species’ potential geographical distributions are expected to shift by several hundred kilometres or more by the end of the century.”

At a special meeting of the Comhairle last week to discuss the Lewis Windpower application, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar unanimously agreed that it was necessary to look at SNH’s interpretation of designations as they were being used to block development in Scotland. In other parts of the UK and Europe, designated areas have been developed.

Comhairle Vice-Convener Angus Campbell said:
“I very much welcome these moves by Mr Smith. If climate change is already affecting previously designated areas then there needs to be monitoring of how much the area is affected and whether the designation is still appropriate, particularly when a development will actively combat climate change. In the meantime, we need to look at how we have arrived at a situation where Scotland is put at a disadvantage in terms of development by an overzealous interpretation of regulations.”

Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk