What is being proposed?
Up to 66 wind turbines, proposed to be 380m to blade tip, 4.5km from the shore at its closest point, running parallel to the coast for over 20km from Carloway to Shader, and covering an area of approximately 161km*.
Substations on the west side (Arnol/Brue, Barvas are areas of search) and outside Stornoway.
Transmission across the island, currently proposed to be undergrounded through the Lewis peatlands although surveying for pylons has also been undertaken
The developers are Canadian multinational Northland Power, who paid Crown Estate Scotland just £16.1 million for the lease of the seabed in 2022, and Irish energy company ESB, who bought 24.5% of the development from Northland in 2023.
Beinn Bhragair Reference Visualisation: The visualisation to the right shows the height of various turbines relative to Beinn Bhragair, a prominent West Side landmark. The photo was taken at eye height (1.67m) in Arnol with a 50mm lens, at NB 3109 4851, 41m above sea level. The reference point, NB 2639 4523, is the East/West bend in the track to the Siabost water station (Tom an Eoin), 35m above sea level. The distance between these points is 5.73km, slightly further than the closest point of N4 to the shore. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of this visualisation.
The Scottish Government’s SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment) for this site states:
‘There is potential for significant effects on population (noise impacts), navigational safety and visual effects.’*
The Scottish Government also says of the site:
NatureScot advise that a detailed design-led approach involving the local stakeholders should be utilised if a project is identified here. Consideration of these impacts would require early consultation with local communities and stakeholders.’*
‘Further to the potential landscape, seascape and visual impacts, the SEA identifies potential noise impacts to local populations, due to the PO’s (Plan Option’s) close proximity to land, which will need management through early and comprehensive consultation with local stakeholders and communities.’*
The Scottish Government states that ‘consultation with local stakeholders regarding landscape and seascape concerns; and potential noise impacts on local populations’ is a ‘key step’ to progressing development of this site.’*
‘Impacts to the tourism sector are associated with potential visual, landscape and seascape issues, which similarly is the most significant risk identified within the SEA.
N4 is located in very inshore waters, and therefore seascape, landscape and visual impacts will occur.
— Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy. October 2020. Scottish Government.
The expectation is that, if the 840 MW N4 windfarm gets planning consent, a new interconnector will be built, which will allow the Stornoway Wind Farm (180 MW, 33 turbines up to 180m, EDF/Wood), Uisenis (Eisgein) Wind Farm (189 MW, 25 turbines up to 205m, Eurowind Energy) and Druim Leathann (Tolsta) Wind Farm (49.7MW, 14 turbines up to 140m, BayWa AG), along with their associated substations and transmission infrastructure to go ahead. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar have also presented plans to the Uig community for an ammonia plant in Loch Roag, in connection with the N4 wind farm.
Implications for the rest of the island
The energy from these developments is destined for use throughout the UK, which means that new infrastructure has to be built through the Highlands to carry it south. Other communities throughout Scotland are organising to fight this despoilment of the environment, eg Communities B4 Power Companies.
The N4 area on the west side is by far the closest to shore of the 17 sites sold in the Scotwind Auction.
Marine Scotland initially identified an AoS (Area of Search) in offshore waters over 12 nautical miles off the coast, and beyond the shipping lane. These AoS sought to identify development areas that minimised negative impacts on the environment, other sectors and users of the sea, and did not include the N4 area. The N4 inshore area was only added after scoping consultation.*
Why so close to the shore?
The Sectoral Marine Plan states that ‘powers introduced under Part 6 of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 allow Scottish Ministers to establish a scheme to licence development adjacent to, or within, 12 nautical miles of an island, in respect of designated island licensing areas. Island licensing areas may only be designated upon application by a Local Authority.’*
This implies that Comhairle nan Eilean Siar asked for this inshore site to be developed.
This Northland generated image provides landscape and context only. Not to scale and so may minimise impact.