Ayrshire Power – Consultation Update
Ayrshire Power Limited, the company working to submit a planning application for a state-of-the-art multi-fuel power station at Hunterston, has this week underlined its commitment to the public consultation process.
The company, a joint venture between Peel Energy and Dong Energy, has released information from its detailed public consultation exercise exclusively to the Weekly News in advance of announcing dates for a series of exhibitions in the local communities.
Since December last year, Ayrshire Power's Project Director Muir Miller has held meetings to outline the plans and timetable with numerous key stakeholders, including:
- North Ayrshire Council
- Cumbrae Community Council
- Fairlie Community Council
- Largs Community Council
- West Kilbride Community Council
- Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce
- Largs Initiative
- Kenneth Gibson MSP
- Ross Finnie MSP
- Katy Clark MP
- Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism
- Patrick Harvey MSP, Convenor of the Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee
- Des MacNulty MSP, member of the Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee
In addition to these face-to-face briefings, Ayrshire Power has corresponded verbally or in writing with other MSPs and local groups. Further meetings are expected to be held prior to the public exhibitions to follow up on the team's commitments.
Full details of Ayrshire Power's consultation efforts have been listed in a formal pre-application consultation document which the company lodged with the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit this week.
Mr Miller said: "In the interests of transparency and to help establish an informed healthy dialogue with the community in the run up to our local exhibitions, it's important that everyone knows who we have been consulting with in recent months.
"We are fully committed to the consultation process and hope to work alongside residents to help us finalise the plans for what will be an exciting initiative for all of North Ayrshire - a project which will bring a significant number of new jobs to the local economy and play a major part in filling the energy gap that Scotland faces.
"Our Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is currently underway and is due to be largely complete in September. We will then be in a position to share the findings and answer any questions the community may have at a series of public exhibition events which will follow shortly thereafter."
Ayrshire Power Limited has also distributed a newsletter to all residents in Fairlie which is available in libraries and other local outlets in Largs, West Kilbride and Millport. A second edition of the newsletter updating locals on the project plans is scheduled to be released in September.
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