Viking Energy Wind Farm, SSEN’s HVDC Convertor Station, and related projects
These pages contain some useful information on Shetland Islands Council’s role regarding the above projects, as well as contact details for the Council’s Planning Service, the main developers and other relevant bodies.
The Council has two main roles in relation to the projects to build a new HVDC Convertor Station (to join to the interconnector for the islands), and the Viking Energy Wind Farm.
- As landowner - the Council owns the Busta Estate, and is one of 14 landowners who have entered into long-term lease agreements with the developer of the wind farm. SIC land will host 18 of the 103 turbines approved for development
- As planning authority - making decisions on full planning applications (guided by policies in the development plan), and further applications to discharge planning conditions attached to permission that has either been granted by the Council or the Scottish Ministers; making sure that development is carried out correctly; and taking action when it is not
The Council’s Planning Service is responsible for:
- Handling and processing planning applications, ensuring that decisions are made follow the Council’s approved Planning Scheme of Delegations; and monitoring developments to ensure planning controls are being followed (acknowledging that there is a role for the public in alerting the Council to any problems they become aware of)
- On the Council’s behalf, the Service has statutory powers to investigate breaches of planning control and the conditions attached to planning permissions, and to take formal action if necessary. The Planning Service has an Enforcement Charter which can be found here: Planning Enforcements Downloads