Ramblers President calls for end to
Beauly-Denny Inquiry
and a National Energy Forum
| Ramblers Scotland President, Cameron McNeish, speaking
in advance of the organisation's annual meeting, has called for the
abandonment of the Beauly - Denny power line inquiry McNeish said: "The current public inquiry is a pointless and expensive distraction. An official report has now concluded that sub sea cables are the best long term economic and environmental solution for transferring energy from new renewable projects in the Scottish islands to England." The report, produced by the Scottish Executive, councils in the islands and north of Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scottish Natural Heritage, Communities Scotland and the Forestry Commission, says there is a need for a clear route to securing investment in sub-sea cables. McNeish added: "The inquiry isn't asking the right questions. We really need to be looking at the whole grid and how it delivers our electricity needs in the medium to long term. That includes consideration of where that power is coming from - undoubtedly there is likely to be greater future emphasis on marine renewables and local generation and supply." "Rather than waste another 11 months of everyone's energy in answering the wrong questions we should grasp the opportunity to take a more strategic look at where we are going. We need to seriously examine whether sub sea transmission lines are our best option. The developers are now coming to the end of their evidence to the public inquiry and that provides a sensiblepoint to draw a line under the current proceedings." "It's the future of Scotland's landscape that is at stake here. I do not believe voters in May will look kindly on politicians that appear happy to allow the piecemeal industrialisation of that landscape. I call on all those seeking election to the Scottish Parliament to support the ending of the Beauly - Denny inquiry." In a later speach Cameron McNeish called for a National Energy Forum: "We need a National Energy Forum, set up immediately after the May elections, to bring all stakeholders together to agree the way forward for energy policy. Now is the time for politicians and civic society to map out how Scotland can best contribute to meeting the challenge of global warming, reducing carbon emissions and securing future energy supplies, in ways which make economic and environmental sense." Constructive dialogue is the way forward: "When tackling the energy challenge we must remember the lessons of land reform. In 2003 the Scottish Parliament, as part of its land reform programme, passed "right to roam" legislation and established world class rights of public access to our land and water. A key part of this process was the consensus reached between recreation groups, land managers and public bodies, meeting together over several years, in the National Access Forum." "We now need the same constructive dialogue to be established to ensure we have a world class energy policy. A National Energy Forum, incorporating representatives of national and local government, environmental organisations, community groups, energy suppliers and research centres is urgently needed." Finally, Cameron McNeish believes current arrangements are seriously flawed: "All that government has offered so far is "FREDS", the Forum for Renewable Development in Scotland, whose narrow focus and narrow membership of mostly government officials, private sector energy companies and academics, fundamentally fails to meet the need to discuss energy needs as a whole with the full economic and environmental implications." "If government had established a National Energy Forum instead of FREDS we would probably not be wasting time and money today in a public inquiry into the proposed Beauly - Denny powerline. A National Energy Forum would provide us with the basis for agreeing what forms of new energygeneration are needed where and what types of national grid upgrade are needed both on and off shore." |
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