By Jane Candlish
Objectors who successfully fought off plans for wind turbines beside a
iconic north peak, have a mountain to climb agtain.
PI Renewables has lodged an appeal asking the Scottish Government to
approve the Carn Gorm windfarm, which would involve 14 turbines, each 410ft
high, on the lower slopes of Ben Wyvis the Ross-shire Munro that can be
seen for miles around.
The scheme was rejected by councillors and planning officers under
delegated powers earlier this year.
They stated that the windfarm would be “significantly detrimental” to the
mountain massif and surrounding area.
Mountaineering groups, tourism businesses and locals all voiced anger at
the plan which attracted more than 100 objections.
The site for the windfarm was at Carn Gorm on the southern slopes of the
Ben Wvyis massif above Strathgarve Forest, about two miles north-east of Garve.
But now the firm has asked ministers to look at the proposal.
A reporter will be appointed to the case and could decide to hold a public
local inquiry.
Among those criticising the proposal were the Mountaineering Council of
Scotland, the John Muir Trust, former sheriff principal for the north, Sir
Stephen Young, and the Earl of Cromartie, John Mackenzie, chief of the Clan
Mackenzie.
PI Renewables could not be reached for comment.
Carn Gorm was the second proposed Ben Wyvis windfarm to be rejected this
year, after officials also rejected Falck Renewables proposal for the Clach
Liath windfarm on the eastern side of the mountain.
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) chief officer David Gibson
said when CArn Gorm was turned down: “I believe in the past we have
described Ben Wyvis as a mountain under siege and it is our hope that the
council rejecting Carn Gorm will send a message to other developers to keep
away.
“For many visitors to the Highlands the mountain is the first major view
you get of the area when you come over Slochd Summit on the A9 and it is
important that view is untainted.
“We can only call so many mountains iconic but Ben Wyvis is important and
is genuinely iconic and deserves protection.”
In their decision notice, council planners said they had taken into account
the cumulative impact of the turbines within view of the Dingwall-Kyle
railway line and the A832 Cromarty-Gairloch.
The John Muir Trust also criticised the plan.
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