AS the narrowest stretch of water between Skye and the mainland, Kyle Rhea is already a seaway with history, but the power of its tides could soon write another multi-million pound chapter.
A provisional agreement has been struck that would give a marine energy company access to the seabed to install a £40 million four-turbine tidal farm in Kyle Rhea, the first off the coast of Skye. It would be capable of providing power to 8000 homes.
The turbines are of similar design to the one that has been standing in the mouth of Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough since 2008. They resemble an upside-down wind turbine – with the blades beneath the water but the towers rising more than 40ft above the surface.
More than one company is interested in trying to harness Kyle Rhea’s tides. which can run at up to nine knots, with one pursuing a development to the south which would be completely underwater.
But it was Bristol-based Marine Current Turbines Ltd (MCT), which announced yesterday that it had now finalised an “Agreement for Lease” from the Crown Estate Commissioners in respect of the seabed.
The firm, which installed the Strangford Lough turbine, is aiming to have the Kyle Rhea tidal farm running by 2014. To do that it expects to submit a planning application to Marine Scotland in early 2012, once the project’s baseline surveys and impact assessments have been completed.
Martin Wright, MCT’s chief executive, said securing the Crown Estate Commissioners’ approval was a vital part of the process to deliver the development. Local reaction was generally supportive.
However John Angus MacLean, joint chairman of the Glenelg and Arnisdale Community Council and a director of the Glenelg Development Trust, said that while he was in favour of harnessing the power of the tides, he was disappointed in the way it would be delivered.
“We as a community have been trying to negotiate for some time that we could have the rights to this. We wanted something like the Norwegian model where the local communities have the rights to development.
“But because of the way the Crown Estate behaves in leasing the seabed to these companies, we can’t do that. So it will be the same as the Hydro and everything else in the Highlands, big companies will come in and rip the asset off.”
Meanwhile the community interest company which runs the seasonal ferry service across the Kyle between Glenelg and the village of Kylerhea, says it has no objection in principle.
Clive Pearson, chief executive of the ferry company, said. “The turbines would not interfere with our operation as they will be located to the north of our crossing. Obviously there are aesthetic concerns, but these are not things we could object to as a company. However there is a lot of work to be done yet and of course it is a marine Site of Special Scientific Interest.” One interest group which might be expected to have concerns about four turbine towers sticking 40ft out of the water is the yachting fraternity.
But Mark Entwistle, director of charter firm Isle of Skye Yachts based at Armadale further south on Skye, said: “As long as Kyle Rhea is kept open for safe navigation, we would have no objection. Kyle Rhea is an important seaway. It is a recognised short cut and is used by the Royal Navy among others, so I don’t think there would be a problem.”
Glenelg resident Donna Stiven was also supportive as long as the development was environmentally sensitive given the presence of otters and other wildlife. “But the firm does need to come and talk to us”, she said. She also hoped there would be a community benefit from the development.
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