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<< Sites under Threat >> Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology

Submitted by coldrum on Tuesday, 02 January 2007  Page Views: 10738

Site WatchCountry: Scotland County: Isle of Lewis
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The company behind the UK's largest onshore wind farm project, proposed for the Hebridean island of Lewis (Outer Hebrides, Scotland), has unveiled revised plans for the scheme. The reworked proposal comprises 181 wind turbines compared with the 234 which were originally planned. While the overall number of turbines has been reduced, the impact on the archaeology of Lewis may be catastrophic.

The real problem is not just that the archaeology of Lewis is practically unknown, but the whole of the interior of the island is covered by raised peat bog that can be several metres thick. This was formed since the Bronze age (Callanish before it was excavated was a few stones sticking up through over a metre of bog). So there is likely to be a whole buried prehistoric landscape below the peat, but it is very difficult to detect. Numerous stone circles, burial mounds and cemeteries, settlements and houses, burnt mounds, fields and field boundaries can all be expected. This could be potentially one of the best preserved prehistoric landscapes in the world.
More: BBC News
Contributor Bio for coldrum: Based in Milkyway, contributing since 2002. Favourite site: Avebury.

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"Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology" | Login/Create an Account | 19 News and Comments
  
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Lewis Wind Farm by Aluta on Wednesday, 04 July 2007
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Actually, this could be a different wind farm. I didn't realise there were three. Sorry!
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More on the Lewis Wind Farm Controversy by Aluta on Wednesday, 04 July 2007
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Campaigners are now warning that the controversial wind farm planned for the hills resembling a sleeping woman, visible from the Callanish stone circle, would be a threat to golden eagles and sea eagles.

"Golden eagles are gravely threatened by a £200m wind farm scheme proposed for the Hebridean island of Lewis, campaigners have warned.

Three of the predatory birds a year could be killed in collisions with turbine blades - the highest mortality from any wind power project in the UK.

The figures come from the developer's own environmental statement.

The planned 205 megawatt (mW) Pairc wind farm in south-eastern Lewis would comprise 57 turbines.

Campaigners are also alarmed at the possibility of peat slides in some areas where the 145 metre (475ft) structures are to stand.

Developer Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) found 10 infrastructure sites on the Pairc peninsula were at a high risk of peat slides, a further 16 were considered to be at moderate risk.

'The eagle kill is pretty horrific, as is the threat of peat slide,' said Catriona Campbell, of anti-wind farm group Moorland Without Turbines (MWT)."

More at this link.
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Re: Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology by Anonymous on Friday, 01 June 2007
Bid to save Sleeping Goddess from turbines

A Lewis-based archaeologist has hit out at proposals to erect a Western Isles windfarm on a famous and mystical hill formation that resembles a woman lying on her back.

If the plan is successful, Cailleach na Mointeach, the Old Woman of the Moors, would have some of the 53 turbines sprouting from her knees.

The Cailleach, also known as the Sleeping Goddess, can be seen to the south side of the ancient Callanish stone circle.

Ian McHardy says the visual impact of the highest seven turbines will destroy the effect of the “major lunar standstill” around which the mythical site of Callanish appears to have been built about 6,000 years ago.

Every 18.6 years, the moon appears to rise from between the “knees” of the woman and travels in a low arc over her body, lighting it up, until it reaches the end of the ancient avenue of stones at Callanish.

At this point, the moon is huge and low in the sky, and a person standing on a ridge...

Read the rest of this post...
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    Re: Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology by Aluta on Friday, 01 June 2007
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    Thank you. This important issue needs to be kept fresh in people's minds.
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    Re: Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology by Aluta on Friday, 01 June 2007
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    Here is the article ( a bit outdated now) about the cairn mentioned, with pictures.
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Re: Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology by Anonymous on Wednesday, 25 April 2007
As a victim of the windmill rash in Wales, I will assist opposition to this scheme as best I can. As a geologist familiar with natural climate change in the past, I am totally against commercial companies and landowners making huge profits from us under the pretext of preventing global warming. This absurd, unscientific, predatory scheme exploits public misunderstanding of the problem and adds to the frenzy that seems to want to destroy our environment without cause other than maximum financial gain for a few individuals.
Dr W.R. Fitches
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Re: Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology by Anonymous on Friday, 23 March 2007
You might be interested in the campaign information at:
http://www.ramblers.org.uk/scotland/elections.html

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Re: Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology by Aluta on Saturday, 17 February 2007
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The latest, with thanks to Bernardquartermass for bringing it to my attention:
Island Wind Farm Receives Backing
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Re: Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology by Anonymous on Tuesday, 13 February 2007
I have spent my life on lewis and have seen a lot of weird and wonderful finds preserved in the peat over the years. The sheer scale of the development they are forcing on us against the wishes of the local indigenous population involves the destruction of a landscape untouched since the bronze age. Not only the 5 huge quarries and 181 1000m3 foundations for the turbines will require the destruction of large tracts of moorland but so will the 88 miles of new roads, substations and pylons. All in the name of "saving" our environment!!!
This project will spell the end for a beautifull landscape I and my ancestors enjoyed, indeed since the bronze age. The developers arguement is that the benefits to the local economy will be great. This I believe to be a poor justification indeed for the destruction of our island as we know it and I don't see anybody starving on lewis. Far from it in fact.
It boils down to one thing. The thing the perpetrators of this diabolical...

Read the rest of this post...
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    Re: Huge wind farm may threaten Hebridean archaeology by Aluta on Wednesday, 14 February 2007
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    I just want to welcome you to the Portal and express gratitude to you for posting here and saying what I'm sure many people are thinking and feeling.

    I remember reading a quotation somewhere to this effect: If you destroy something temporary and replaceable made by modern people it's called crime and vandalism. If you destroy something ancient and irreplaceable, it's called progress and development.

    Our best wishes go out to you.
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Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by Aluta on Thursday, 08 February 2007
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It's all over but the wailing and gnashing of teeth, from the sound of it. Something being wrong never stops people doing it, does it?

News here.
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Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by Aluta on Saturday, 27 January 2007
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Received this from Ian McHardy, who is keeping an eye on this situation I have the PDF of the letter if anyone wants it. I'll paste a plain text copy of it in here:

>>Hey folks!
A huge industrial factory's gonna ruin a beautiful island, all in the
name of the environment. Please object with this letter; if your not
sure you agree go to the MWT- Moorland Without Turbines website read that and I'm sure you will,
Ian

Dear Member

Urgent – please object again to the Lewis Wind Farm

You will probably know by now that Lewis Wind Power (Amec
and British Energy) have resubmitted their proposal for a
massive windfarm in the north of Lewis, from Newmarket to
Ness.

We attach with this letter an objection to the windfarm.
You can send this to the Scottish Executive as your
objection, or, even better, you can write your own.
Remember, it has to be in by 5 February. Please also
circulate the objection letter round all your own contacts.
It is very important that...

Read the rest of this post...
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    Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by Aluta on Saturday, 27 January 2007
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    The letter is at the very end of that last post, below the point where the post is cut off.
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Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by paulcall on Thursday, 04 January 2007
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Regarding Andys point about birdlife, similar developments in Scandinavia have all but wiped out their local White-tailed Eagle populations, so if I were a Golden Eagle on Lewis and I would be very worried indeed.
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Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by Andy B on Wednesday, 03 January 2007
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Yes it is Aluta. I don't know how the new arrangement of turbines affects the horizon, on the map shown there seem to be fewer sites at the south end near Callanish so hopefully it's an improvement.

Personally I think the 'archaeology in danger' point in this article is rather fatuous. There is lots of protection for archaeology built into the development process.

Conversly without any wind turbine building the archaeology on the vast peat moorlands will probably remain unknown forever.

There would seems to be huge potential (and requirement) for excavation around of the sites of these wind turbines, with funding from a developer (which is how the vast majority of new archaeology gets discovered and funded these days).

Looking at that map, they are hardly short of moorland so in the event they did discover some exciting prehistoric archaeology in a particular area they could always move the base of that particular turbine. Something like a new stone circle would get...

Read the rest of this post...
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    Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by Anonymous on Tuesday, 13 February 2007
    Do you seriously believe the men with the diggers and dozers are going to pause for a few stones! I think you'll find comercial pressure will override every time.
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    Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by Anonymous on Monday, 18 February 2008
    Andy, as an archaeologist that lives and works in Lewis, I take your point, lots of archaeology will be discovered. However, I don't believe this would necessarily be a good thing, and I would prefer not to benefit myself. As you say yourself, the important issue is the birds, the fish, all the living things. If the view will look bad, its because it will represent the devastation of a pristine landscape- and the ways in which it will do this are too numerous to mention.
    Also, there is a problem in the way that the planning regs work - big developers get big archaeological contractors, and their work is, in my opinion, compromised by their wish to get more contracts from big developers, and because their people are brought in from afar, to work in the "middle of no-where", with absolutely no personal attachment.
    Its often said that the moors are nothingness, but it is only true when looking from afar. People indigenous to these islands have names for every little bump and puddle across this nothingness, and its uses are numerous!
    I cant help but feel that if we let large multinationals rape places in the name of environmentalism than we will surely re-produce the problem in a new setting. This is a bad quick fix. Lewis should not have to give up its vitality to power more over consumption in the big cities.
    I thank you for your site and opportunity to communicate!
    Ian Mchardy
    ps. the windfarm that threatens the Cailleach na Mointeach is a separate development, and is still likely to go ahead.. Please help!
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by Aluta on Tuesday, 02 January 2007
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Is this the same wind farm featured on the Portal a few months ago, the one that may alter the view from Callanish?
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Re: Huge Wind Farm May Threaten Hebridean Archaeology by AngieLake on Tuesday, 02 January 2007
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Wasn't this featured on a recent episode of 'Coast'? There was the most horrendous virtual reality pic of a forest of the bloody things. Surely they can't be seriously thinking of destroying such beauty? (Let alone any valuable archaeological sites!) I'd be beside myself with anger/incredulity if I lived there. Better to put them in the sea, off-shore from the Scottish mainland, perhaps? There will never be a perfect place, as there will always be NIMBYs.
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