NEARLY 200 people have signed a petition against plans to build a hydro station on the banks of the River Calder.
Renfrewshire Council is currently considering a planning application submitted by Ashrona Power Systems Ltd (APSL) to construct a dam and pipeline upstream leading to a power station that would be built next to Lochwinnoch Cemetery.
The pipe is set to be 4.5km-long and begin just to the south-east of the visitors centre at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.
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However, many villagers have expressed concerns about the plans and are asking for planning chiefs to throw out the application.
An action group called Not the Calder has been established and the campaigners have launched a public petition demanding the “unspoilt” nature is protected.
Started last week, the petition has already received 163 signatures and hopes to secure 200 before being presented to council chiefs.
A spokesperson for the group said: “Please sign this petition to save Calder Glen from the impact a hydro power station could have on its stunning, unspoilt natural environment within our regional park.
“It’s hugely enjoyed by many residents here and a large number of visitors.
“If this goes ahead, it will also be developed right beside our local cemetery and woodland burial ground which is grossly inappropriate and upsetting for those paying their respects there.
“This is not about being against renewable energy, it’s about it being thoughtfully carried out in the right location.”
A report submitted to Renfrewshire Council’s planning committee outlines the plans for the hydro station.
It states: “By utilising modern pipe and construction methods, the company has identified that, by the construction of an upstream dam and pipeline, a hydro power station of 1.99 MW (megawatts) can be established on a site immediately upstream of the Lochwinnoch Cemetery.”
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Lochwinnoch woman Sybil Simpson, who is vice-chair of the Save Your Regional Park campaign group, said she feels the concerns of residents and park users aren’t being listened to.
She previously told The Gazette: “The park is supposed to be the great green lung of the central belt.”
If you would like to sign the petition, please visit Change.org.
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