The new week kicks off with a look at under-threat Edzell library, tidal power, anti-English sentiment and a plea for an informed debate on Forth Energy’s plans for Dundee.
National importance of under-threat library Sir,-I am saddened to read Angus Council is considering closing the historic library in Inglis Hall, Edzell. I believe this would be a wrong decision given the historic importance of the library with its rare cataloguing and lending system.
Perhaps Angus Council see the library as a soft target if they are basing their proposal on user and lending statistics. I do not think this should be the basis on which a decision is made.
I grew up in Edzell and am aware just how important the library is as a national resource because of its age and setup. It is part, not only of Edzell’s heritage, but of Scotland’s and should be given support to continue.
I hope that officials and councillors at Angus Council can give due consideration to the importance of this library and remove the threat of closure.
Perhaps they could investigate funding from outside agencies that have an interest in conserving historic buildings, artefacts and resources.
I am aware that, although initially funded through the bequest of the Inglis family, the hall and its library are currently in the stewardship of Angus Council and I would expect them to act as good stewards for future generations and not make any decisions based on current financial strictures.
John Dally.Symbister,Whalsay.
Harness power of Montrose tides
Sir,-The letter by John Langley urging the use of tidal power reminds me of the vision of the late Captain Gordon Graham, Montrose harbourmaster in the 1960s.
It was Gordon’s ideas that were translated into reality by the filling in of the south side of Rossie Island, Montrose, and the building of the sea oil base.
In the early 1970s, the bridge at Montrose was starting to show its age and he also mooted the idea to replace it with a causeway, into which would be built a turbines to harness the power of the River Southesk and Montrose Basin.
A second benefit from his scheme would be to control the tidal flow to give 24-hour generation and also keep the basin always half full to create a water-sports facility for the east coast.
I believe that when the new bridge was being planned, Aberdeen University was commissioned to check the tidal-flow speed at the bridge area to see whether it was strong enough for power generation.
I believe that their findings were that the current flowed at a maximum of four knots. I do not know what instruments were used but you ask anyone that knows Montrose Harbour and they will tell you this is nonsense.
I was connected for many years with the harbour and have seen small coasters, able to do 10 knots at sea, unable to enter the port at half ebb tide because of the strength of the current.
I think if any place on the east coast is ripe for tidal power generation by turbine it is the stretch between the road bridge and the railway bridge at Montrose Harbour.
Tom Robertson.1 St Peters Place,Montrose.
Vindication of assault claim
Sir,-An Englishman appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court accused of assault and repeatedly striking a man with a knife. A group of youths was said to have targeted his home after the Scotland football team’s defeat in Norway last August.
The man’s lawyer said that his family had moved to Scotland about eight years ago and, during the time they stayed in Kirkcaldy, he suffered from a “significant degree” of intimidation because he was English.
After Scotland’s defeat, the court heard, people banged on his windows and door.
During the subsequent confrontation, the court heard, the Englishman had been struck with a fence post, beaten about the head and knocked to the ground, suffering severe bruising.
In a letter to this newspaper on March 9, I wrote on the subject of Flower of Scotland, and stated, “Some offensive remarks are aimed at English visitors, then, when challenged, the offenders claim it was only fun. Let’s get rid of this dangerous, nationalistic nonsense before English tourists or football supporters are maimed or killed in the name of Scottish nationalism.”
Anti-English songs present a twisted version of our history and are jingoistic propaganda.
George K. McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Let’s have full biomass debate
Sir,-I could not agree more with T. Pate (May 6) that Dundee needs all the industry it can get and also that the harbour is a key industrial area.
These arguments have been developed in previous letters to your newspaper. They have to be weighed, however, against the concern about the effects, city-wide, of the exploitation of that particularly sensitive site. That should take some time.
The civic trust released a press statement which was not printed in full. Its purpose was to ask pointed questions about the Forth Energy projects and about the planning process. It asked why a site adjacent to housing was chosen for a biomass plant and whether other sites were considered; it also raised questions of scale.
What would greatly have helped an intelligent debate on this subject is greater transparency. From Forth Energy and from Forth Ports we ought to know more about the full impact of their longer term plans for the harbour area. From the local authority, there should have been a clear announcement of the planning and consultation process.
From the Scottish Government we have to know what it considers are the implications for cities and towns of their strategy on renewable energy. In particular, we have to know what it means for Dundee.
To have targets, however green, is not the same thing as having a strategy.
Tom Devaney.Dundee Civic Trust.