Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing calls for rejection of Moray FLOW-Park plans highlighting adverse impact on tourism and fishing industries
A Nairn MSP has joined critics of a forthcoming major development on the Moray Firth, stating it would “devastate the beauty of the seascape” and be damaging to the local tourism industry.
After meeting with representatives at Offshore Solutions Group (OSG), the company behind the controversial Moray FLOW-Park project - which could see 18km of seabed off the Moray coast used for the temporary storage of wind turbine foundations - Independent MSP for Inverness and Nairn Fergus Ewing said he will oppose the plans after considering the proposal.
In a public statement, Mr Ewing stated that, although he is in general favour of development that may boost this economy, that he believed this is not “the right plan for the area”.
“I was able to meet the company and put questions to them about their plan,” he explained.
“I am grateful to them for their time and candour. However, they were simply not able to answer a whole series of questions.”
Stating that this is due to the project being still at a very early stage - as environmental assessment is currently being carried out - he said that even the visual impact of large floating wind farm bases sited close to the shore off Findhorn and off Nairn “would destroy one of the finest views in the country across the Inner Moray Firth to the Black Isle”.
“It would industrialise the landscape,” he added.
“This alone has been mentioned by a huge number of constituents as unacceptable and I share that view.”
He added that, whilst OSG maintains that the development will bring major economic benefits, not enough details of this are currently available and therefore it is not clear whether that would be the case, particularly as far as the number of jobs created is concerned.
This comes after protesters gathered at Findhorn beach at the weekend, writing ‘SAVE OUR SEALIFE’ in huge 60ft letters upon the sand in opposition to the project.
Highlands and Islands MSP Douglas Ross also raised the issue during portfolio questions at Holyrood last week, describing the proposed FLOW-Park development as “outrageous” and “out of scale and character” with the local area.
Fears over the impact the new facility would have on tourism and the local fishing industry, as well as other users of the marine area, were raised since the project was first announced.
Mr Ewing quoted the example of Nairn Harbour, saying that they have been fighting for many years with Marine Scotland to get permission to do a “very modest amount of essential dredging of sand” to enable the navigation channel to be kept clear.
“It is astounding to me that a company that has just come along, OSG, and been able to secure exclusive rights for two years from Crown Estate Scotland, but a local harbour has been fighting so far in vain to obtain a consent for a comparatively tiny and unobjectionable plan to dredge some sand. The whole process of marine consents is pretty much a protracted lottery.
“It will of course be the Highland councillors who must make the decision on planning. But many fear that if the council reject the plans, the Scottish Government will simply overrule any objection or refusal on appeal.
“Because of that concern, I suggest that all political parties should clearly explain to the public what their view is on OSG.
“For my part, having considered the proposal, listened to constituents and met the company, I have concluded that this development would be damaging to tourism and recreation, devastate the beauty of the seascape, be of uncertain benefit locally, and is one that should be rejected.”
Nairn BID has also written an open letter to various politicians — which is available to read in full on their website nairnconnects.com — raising their fears over the “threat” to the local natural wealth from “plans which we see as having been sprung on us”.
They added that they have learnt of Scottish Enterprise giving OSG half a million pounds as well as Crown Estates Scotland granting exclusive rights to explore the seabed “for suitability to ‘park’ huge wind turbines.
“To say the local population is up in arms is a complete understatement,” they added.
A public meeting with OSG will be held at Forres Town Hall on November 11 at 6pm, with talks to potentially organise a meeting in Nairn in the future.