The John Muir Trust has lodged an objection to a major wind farm extension on core wild land in South Lewis famed for its golden and white-tailed eagles.
As well as endangering these rare birds and industrialising the core wild land area of Eisgein (as mapped by Scottish Natural Heritage), wind turbines on the site would also be visible from four summits within the mountainous South Lewis, Harris and North Uist National Scenic Area.
Mick Blunt, John Muir Trust Western Isles Area manager said: “This proposal for a second extension to the Muaitheabhal Wind Farm represents a full frontal assault on the new wild land map published by Scottish Natural Heritage and on the Scottish Government’s own planning proposals that are now out to public consultation.
“The extension would create a jungle of steel and concrete in the heart of one of just three core wild land areas in the Outer Hebrides.
“Alarmingly, the developers – by their own conservative estimate – admit that these 12 proposed turbines could kill more white tailed eagles than all 107 previously consented Lewis wind turbines combined. This is an extraordinarily high collision rate for such a small scheme, and emphasises how important the Eisgein estate is for this species.
“If this project were to get the go-ahead, it would starkly contradict the Scottish Government’s promise to ‘safeguard the character of Scotland’s remoter upland, mountain and coastal areas’, and would make a mockery of the core wild land map published by SNH.”
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