Community groups, Scottish Water and the Scottish Government have agreed to work together to find an alternative site for a wind turbine owned by communities in the east of Edinburgh.

Following a meeting between Energy Minister Fergus Ewing, representatives from PEDAL (Portobello Transition Town), Greener Leith and Scottish Water agreed to find an alternative site for the turbine.

The two community groups had planned to erect a wind turbine at Seafield Waste Water Treatment Works, with money raised from the turbine benefiting both communities, but the site is no longer considered suitable. The land in question provides the only potential for vital expansion of the Waste Water Treatment Works serving Edinburgh should this be necessary to meet future customer demands.

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At the meeting on May 28, also attended by local MSP Kenny MacAskill, all parties agreed to work together to find an alternative site, or another way for Scottish Water to work with the community groups.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said he was “determined to ensure communities all over Scotland reap the benefits of renewable energy.

He said: “Although it is disappointing that the site originally identified cannot be used for this community wind turbine, this was a positive and productive meeting. If a suitable site cannot be found, Scottish Water have indicated there are other ways they would be able to work with the Community Group, and the Scottish Government and Community Energy Scotland will explore the possibility of a partnership arrangement with a rural group to help Greener Leith and PEDAL achieve their renewables ambition.”

(NE/GK)