Local news covers Thor House respite closure, Caithness wind power issues, and wind farm worries near Unesco site.
A respite center, Thor House, for disabled kids in Thurso closed. It was north of Inverness. Thor House served Caithness and Sutherland, helping kids with autism and other needs. It closed five years ago.
Staff were dedicated and caring and they still care about the children. A man’s son used Thor House around 2015. They offered overnight stays, with transport included. The transportation was very helpful and it gave carers needed breaks.
He asked Highland Council about Thor House’s closure and made Freedom of Information requests. From 2020 to 2022, he asked questions. One reply said Thor House closed in March 2020 and it was 76% full before closing.
Highland Council said demand was down, but he wondered how many families were turned away. He asked about the impact of closing Thor House. The Highland Council said Covid led to the closure and they changed the facility during lockdown. Respite care stopped temporarily. They had no impact assessment.
They hoped to restore respite care soon. He thought this lack of planning was shocking. Thor House has been closed since the pandemic began. The reason for closing Thor House is unclear.
He wants to know who made that decision. He also wonders if it was a money-saving move. Parents need respite care, therefore, a place like Thor House is essential. An assessment would show this need.
Highland Council said it would reopen in 2025. This news is welcome. He fears delays or service cuts. Community efforts pushed for this, pressuring officials to act. He hopes they reached their goal soon.
Kathrin Haltiner spoke at a meeting. She thanked the John O’Groat Journal because the reporting was detailed and good.
Caithness makes 500MW from wind power now. Another 190MW is approved, but not built. The export capacity is 1622MW. They can’t export all they produce because the grid has issues further south. The Electricity Ten Year Statement has details.
The Banniskirk hub could export 7GW – a lot more! It could spur wind farm projects, but getting the power used is still a problem. Issues further south remain.
SSE builds there because developers get paid anyway. They can get away with it in Caithness and she thinks this needs to stop now.
K Mackay responded to a letter. That letter said long trips were okay for pregnant women, however, she disagrees with the retired GP. Caithness women travel far to the hospital by car, without medical help. Anxious partners drive in bad weather.
Helicopters help, but weather limits them. Her family needed help, but bad weather stopped the helicopter. The ambulance went to another hospital halfway. Doctors aided her outcome. She said the system is unsafe and bad. She wants compassion for pregnant women.
Alison Ellerington wrote about a wind farm. It would have seventeen 200-meter turbines. It is near a Unesco world heritage site because the company has no ties to Scotland, she says. Scottish taxpayers fund this business.
The Flow Country is globally important, with blanket bog and stores carbon. Unesco requires a buffer zone. It provides protection and enhances the site. The entire surrounding zone matters too. She says this plan must be rejected.
William Loneskie is a retired teacher. He disagrees with building a wind farm and thinks there’s no climate crisis. It’s costly to build wind farms because he prefers milder winters and lower costs. He would rather see money spent elsewhere.
He questions wind farm locations, arguing that coal plants can produce power constantly. He doubts claims of energy using wind and batteries. He thinks officials are committing to a grim future. He is for common sense now.
Lyndsey Ward wrote a short letter. She says there’s a “gold rush” happening. It is usually absentee landlords involved. Wealthy developers exploit the area. The government is complicit, she claimed. Local communities suffer, she added.