More than 100 signatures removed from anti-windfarm petition

More than 100 signatures have been deducted from the anti-windfarm petition organised by Sustainable Shetland after a recount.

The document now has 3,474 signatures rather than the 3,605 originally submitted to council convener Sandy Cluness two weeks ago.

The recount followed checks by The Shetland Times which uncovered some duplication of names but the revised figure still represents a substantial number of people in a community of 22,000, according to vice chairman Kevin Learmonth.

“This was very much a Shetland petition to Shetland councillors,” he said. The signatures from outwith Shetland, 183 in total, represented students, visitors to the isles, and those with strong island connections, he added.

Mr Learmonth said that it was important to understand that “anyone, living anywhere, can formally object to the Viking Energy windfarm, by writing or emailing the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit before 28 July”.