New landing site to cost £60,000
Ryan TaylorThe cost of moving the emergency landing pad for the coastguard helicopter at Clickimin has been set at £60,000.
Shetland Islands Council is seeking to move the helipad from its current location to make room for the new Anderson High School – even though the current landing site was only officially opened four years ago at a cost of £85,000.
The latest figure has been revealed after a freedom of information request was submitted to the council by The Shetland Times newspaper.
A response from the SIC capital programme service showed provision for the £60,000 relocation cost had been made within the new AHS project.
It comes after residents in South Lochside mounted a protest against the proposals, which are expected to see the landing site re-emerge on the playing fields south of the leisure centre.
One disgruntled resident – Sandy McMillan – gathered signatures against the plans.
Health and paramedic officials have long been in support of having an emergency landing site in Lerwick, to help maximise the survival chances of casualties being rushed to the Gilbert Bain Hospital for treatment.
Proposals to build the existing site emerged after the helicopter crew’s preferred landing area was sacrificed in 2005.
That was to allow the redevelopment of the Clickimin running track for the island games, which were being held in Shetland that year.
Sandy McMillan
The facts are there was not just one Disgruntled Resident in the South Lochside area, there were 17 residents that felt Disgruntled from 12 Households, that felt the location of the proposed Helipad site was far to near there homes,
There are three Disabled, and the rest are pensioners, one of 92 years of age, to relocate the Helipad is nothing other than disgraceful, If the School had been left in its original location then there would not have been this problem.
With either the Caravan site or the Helipad, The planning Department really need to think again at what they are doing.