SQW(2) is the Phase 2 Socio Economic report prepared by consultants SQW on behalf of ARC ( Argyll Renewables Consortium ) of which TCDT is a member. The other members are ,Islay Energy Trust (IET) and Kintyre Energy Trust . ARC’s executive function has been vested in IET .
When published this report was 6 months over due . This delay would appear to have arisen from the lack of public consultation pledged in its original funding . It is not clear, from this report , if this public consultation pledge has been full-filled. NTA was preparing a critique of SQW(2) as it has repeated some of the weaknesses , errors and omissions of SWQ(1), which was a weak , woeful piece of desk bound research, but its relevance to the L&C process is uncertain.
ARC’s and its continued relevance to the L&C process for the proposed Tiree(Argyll) Array is subject to conjecture. This follows (1) dropping the proposed Kintyre Array from the Draft plan,and (2) the commissioning of the Tiree On-Shore Mapping exercise during the gestation of SQW(2).
This document (151p) will take time to d/load .It is also available on the IET website
NTA is clarifying with MS if this report has any continuing relevance.
This has taken on added significance with SQW(2) being the main reference for any socio economic input into the final report of the Tiree Onshore Scenario Mapping Exercise.
SQW(2) may have been conducted in breach of its funding remit
Reference : http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/en/node/2505
ARC SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT (SIA) (PHASE 2)
Managed by: Islay Energy Trust on behalf of ARC Consortium
Islay Energy Trust is making the application on behalf of ARC Consortium (Islay Energy Trust, Tiree Community Development Trust and Kintyre Energy Trust). In March 2009, the Crown Estate announced exclusivity agreements with developers to investigate three large scale offshore wind projects off the Argyll coast: Airtricity (Scottish and Southern) off Kintyre (378MW) and Islay (680MW), and ScottishPower Renewables off Tiree (1500MW).
If successful, these projects totalling around 2.5GWand the associated grid infrastructure would require investment in the order of ?7-9 billion. The communities of Kintyre, Islay and Tiree will be directly affected by the proposed wind farm projects and have begun to work together in order to understand better the implications of the proposed wind projects and to examine ways of securing financial sustainability for their communities.
Phase 1 of the project resulted in the production of a socio-economic impact assessment (SIA) scoping study. The aim of phase 2 is to commission consultants to carry out a full key, high level objective of the SIA is to research and collate factual information about the proposed offshore wind farms that will impact the respective communities. Once collated the information will be presented in a neutral manner to enable the ARC communities and the wider general public to form their own opinions from a position of knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting their long term sustainability. The study will examine the viability of establishing a “community investment fund” to invest in the projects or participate in revenue-sharing arrangements and recommend a structure to assist communities in ongoing engagement with developers and other stakeholders. ***10 community consultation workshops and 3 awareness raising events will be held to pass on information and gather community views on the proposed developments***.
*** No such consultation workshops/ awareness raising events took place ***