David Ross
Highland Correspondent
A CONTROVERSIAL plan for a six-turbine wind farm on the edge of a
world-famous landscape has been refused by a Scottish Government reporter
after an appeal by the developers.
The German firm behind the plan, the wpd group, had appealed to Ministers
following repeated delays by the Highland Council in considering their
application for the project at Glen Affric.
The development was opposed by the wild land charity the John Muir Trust,
the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, two local community councils and
over 1,000 members of the public.
The turbines would have been almost 400ft to blade tip, twice the height of
Edinburgh’s Scott Monument. The acclaimed glen lies in the middle of the
large tract of land between Loch Ness in the east and Loch Duich on the
west coast.
In refusing consent the reporter made 28 separate references to wild land
and concluded that the safeguarding of such land was a “significant
national objective”.
Helen McDade, head of policy for the John Muir Trust, said it was a victory
not just for those local communities who had campaigned strongly against
the proposal, but also those who believed wild land was a precious national
asset worthy of protection.
The developers wpd said they found “the extent to which the Reporter has
veered from expert advice of the Scottish Government’s own statutory
consultees and of Highland Council professional officers in reaching this
decision remarkable”.
“Instead, the Reporter frequently states in his report that he shares the
concerns of objectors in regard to the possible impacts on the landscape
and local road system,” the firm added.
“This has resulted in an enormous loss to local supporters, charities, and
national renewable energy and community ownership targets.”
3 Comments