Council / SIC overturns planning decision on new working hours at converter station
AN APPLICATION by the developers of the converter station at Upper Kergord to vary approved working hours has been modified to give local residents some additional “respite” from contraction noise at weekends.
The application from Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission had been given the green light by Shetland Islands Council’s planning committee last month but had to be ratified by a meeting of the full council this morning (Wednesday).
The new working hours were set to be 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 6pm on Sundays – a total of 82 hours per week, three more than previously allowed.
Councillors approve new working hours for converter station construction site
However, Shetland Central councillor Moraig Lyall was successful in reverting the extended hours allowed at the weekend to what they were previously.
She secured a 16 to five majority when proposing that there should be no HGV movements at the site prior to 9am on Saturdays and 10am on Sunday.
She was strongly supported by other councillors representing the area.
Theo Smith said residents had “no easy life” at the moment while Davie Sandison added that the requested change in working hours during the week had been achieved, but people living in the area needed some “respite” at the weekend and that, he said, “was not too much to ask”.
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