TEN YEARS AGO
Friday March 28, 2014
Kintyre is set to be promoted as a potential hot spot for tidal energy, the Courier can reveal.
Still a fledging industry, it could bring skilled jobs and boost the local economy.
“The Pentland Firth has been heavily promoted for the past 10 years and we are in danger of missing a trick here,” said Councillor Rory Colville, chairman of South Kintyre Development Trust.
“We need to promote this area with the energy. We have tidal power, local engineering expertise and one of the few sheltered ports in the West of Scotland.”
Councillor Colville revealed this week that the trust was hoping to secure funding to employ a university graduate to promote the area’s potential.
He spoke after an Argyll and Bute Council meeting which considered a proposal to install a tidal energy demonstrator off the Mull of Kintyre.
This follows a similar project announced in 2011 to build a quarter scale tidal stream turbine in the Sound of Sanda, which is still under development.
The latest proposal, from renewable energy company Nautricity, would see a 500kw tidal demonstrator installed 800 metres off the west coast of the Mull of Kintyre.
An export cable would go underground on the Mull, leading to a newly built substation. Electricity generated would connect to the national grid, with the first power from the site targeted for 2015.
The application is still under consideration.
Councillor Rory Colville said it was very exciting Kintyre had two tidal energy projects on its doorstep.
He added: “This is a real opportunity for Kintyre and Argyll to be at the forefront of tidal energy. The North Channel between the Mull and Northern Ireland has huge potential.
“There’s a very strong tidal flow there. It’s just about how we try and get the maximum benefit from it.
“With wind power reaching its capacity in Kintyre, we must look at other alternatives such as tidal power.”
Campbeltown is also ideal for these projects, according to the councillor.
The demonstrators can be easily taken into the harbour to be worked on before being returned to their locations.
He said in order for Kintyre to make the most of its strong tides, it had to follow the example of Orkney. Through a large amount of promotion, the Pentland Firth is to become the site for a huge commercial tidal energy project, which could generate electricity to power the equivalent of 42,000 homes.
Scotland has been described as a Saudi Arabia of renewable energy potential but offshore tidal streams are still being researched.
“The technology will come and we want to be in place to benefit from it,” added Councillor Colville.
TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO
Friday March 26, 1999
A number of Campbeltown women have been stepping out to raise cash for a local charity.
They are currently pounding the streets of the Wee Toon training for the Glasgow 10K road race on May 16 and the Dublin 10K road race on June 13.
Raising sponsorship as they go, the women are running – or walking – the races for HomeStart Kintyre.
And other women are being asked to join them in the races and raise money for their own chosen charities – you don’t even have to be super fit as the events can be completed by running, jogging, walking or a combination of all three.
This means you can take part even if you find the thought of running 10 kilometres a bit daunting.
If you would like to join the ladies, you can turn up outside Campbeltown Swimming Pool on Sundays at 11am and Mondays and Thursdays at 5.30pm when the women meet to train.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
Thursday March 28, 1974
As a result of the passing of the National Health (Scotland) Act, 1972, an important change will take place in the organisation of the Health Service in Scotland on 1st April.
Since the inception of the service in 1948, Regional Hospital Boards have been controlling Boards of Management who looked after hospitals in groups or single large teaching hospitals, with Executive Councils looking after the functions of Medical Practitioners, Dental Surgeons and Pharmacists and Opticians.
On the 1st of April, the tripartite organisations cease to function and, in their places, 15 Area Health Boards will be responsible for all the health services in each particular area.
The Area Health Boards will exercise full executive functions. Local participation will be at Health Council level where local authority and various voluntary bodies will have an opportunity to nominate interested members of the public to the body who will act as a consultant body to the new boards.
Basically, five Regional Hospital Boards of Management, 25 Executive Councils and 56 Local Authority Health Departments, will cease to function on the 31st of March.
Campbeltown will become a part of the new Argyll and Clyde Health Board with headquarters in Paisley.
The board has defined four districts: Argyll and Bute, Dumbarton, Renfrew and Inverclyde District, with a population of over 500,000.
There are 19 members on the board under a chairman, Mr W.P. Blyth, Clarkston, Renfrew-shire. The Argyll members are: Ex-Provost Daniel McKinven, Dr. A. C. Mayer, Mrs J. Y. Nelson Mr D McDiarmid, Miss T Turner.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Saturday March 29, 1924
The weather is keeping raw and cold. The recent long spell of dry weather enabled field work to be pushed ahead splendidly. This week’s rain was just what was wanted, and if there was only some more warmth along with it to bring the grass forward everything in the fields would be lovely.
The S.S. Davaar completed her annual overhaul last weekend, and the daily steamer service to and from Campbeltown was resumed on Monday.
The father of Captain Lachlan Mactavish, who recently retired after 20 years on the bridge of the Columba, was one of the two Knapdale farmers selected to ride as escort to Queen Victoria when she sailed through the Crinan Canal on her first ‘Royal Route’ tour.
Lieut.-Colonel Ian Campbell, 8th Argylls, makes his annual visit of inspection the Kintyre Company on Thursday and Friday next. Parades will be held in the town, at Drumlemble, and at Southend.
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