News Release
Environmental surveys are being carried out on land owned by the Clan Donald Lands Trust on the Sleat Peninsula to assess the potential for wind energy development.
Ross Jamison from Galileo Energy said: “We are working with the Clan Donald Lands Trust and Sleat General Common Grazings to consider the suitability of some areas of land to generate energy from wind. The surveys are part of an early stage feasibility study to work out if wind energy generation is possible. The information we gather from these surveys will help us to collectively decide if a wind project is appropriate.”
Alex Stoddart, CEO of Clan Donald Lands Trust, commented: “As a responsible island landowner and charitable trust, CDLT is mindful of the Scottish Government’s commitment to renewable energy, a just transition, and sustainable development. We support this commitment and are exploring whether low carbon energy production on land under our custodianship could play its part. The feasibility work will provide the information we need to make a well-informed decision on wind. Separately, biomass and hydro energy may also be of interest in Sleat.
As sustainability has three equal pillars – economy, environment and communities – we are committed to ensuring that any renewable energy development at CDLT benefits local people, local wealth-building, and our treasured environment. We are pleased to be working in partnership with crofters at this early stage, and in due course will engage with other community interests should the survey data show that a project is feasible, work which may take at least two years. Should a project be feasible then CDLT is committed to genuine local community benefit and effective community consultation, including the voices and views of our local young people."
Crofting representatives have held an early meeting to discuss Galileo’s proposals and are supportive in principle, pending further information.
CDLT was founded through a Clan Donald community buyout of part of the old Macdonald Estate 52 years ago. The Trust is a registered charity and therefore has no capital shareholders. Our local community is the main capital beneficiary of the charity; the majority of our revenue goes to local payroll and local suppliers.
We are proud of the fact that CDLT has been community wealth-building long before the term was brought into common use. For over half a century we have employed many hundreds of local people and invested millions of pounds into the local economy.
CDLT is a charity dedicated to our indigenous heritage, culture, people, land and land management, locally here in Skye and across the Gàidhealtachd. We are at the centre of our community here in Sleat, both as a large local employer and, together with our local crofting and farming partners, as a custodian of the wider estate. In addition, CDLT has invested in education, cultural events, grants and sponsorships.
We welcome local development and partnership ideas, with a number of local projects already in motion. The door is always open; get in touch!
Please visit Clan Donald Estate for more information on the estate and our management premise.
For more information related to the feasibility work please contact Jane Cumming on 07900 917142 or jane@jmccomms.co.uk
