Government urged to throw out two wind farm plans – The Herald

Andrew Denholm
Education Correspondent

CAMPAIGNERS have urged the Scottish Government to refuse the development of
two wind farms in the Highlands.

Stop Highland Windfarms Campaign said assurances by ministers that wind
farms would only be permitted “in the right places” would be tested by
whether the proposals at Allt Duine and Stronelairg go ahead.

Convener Pat Wells said: “These are large-scale industrial developments and
both sites are within the mapped Scottish Natural Heritage core area of
wild land.

“When the map was published last April the Scottish Government heralded its
total commitment to protecting these special core wild land areas from wind
farm developments. The question now being asked is whether the government
will honour this commitment.

“It would be inconsistent and illogical to approve one of the wind farms
and refuse the other because they have so many factors in common. We
maintain that the sites for Allt Duine and Stronelairg are definitely not
the right places referred to by the Scottish Government and if ministers
are genuinely committed to protecting core wild land, both applications
will be refused.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said planning processes for all
developments involving wind farms would ensure proper scrutiny. She said:
“All renewable developments are subject to environmental scrutiny through
the planning process and this manages any impacts on the natural
environment, landscape and communities.

“Ministers will announce their decisions on the proposed Allt Duine and
Stronelairg developments in due course.”

Stop Highland Windfarms Campaign is an umbrella organisation formed in 2006
to facilitate networking by local groups and individuals opposed to wind
farm developments in Highland.

SSE Renewables has plans for 83 wind turbines at Stronelairg, near its
Glendoe hydro electric scheme while RWE Npower Renewables plan to construct
turbines in the Monadhliath Mountains.