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Objections grow to windfarm near popular Munro

The John Muir Trust today added to objections for a windfarm near the popular Munro Ben Wyvis.

The Trust's Chief Executive, Stuart Brooks, argues that the Clach Liath proposals (for 17 wind turbines standing 126 metres tall to blade tip) near Ben Wyvis in Ross-shire. He said: “I sincerely hope that planning officials will recommend that this application is rejected and that the Highland Council Planning Committee refuses permission.

“The Clach Liath wind development would scar the sides of a notable and popular Munro in close proximity to Inverness. Wild places such as this should be valued for what they are and not industrialised.

“This wind farm would tower over land designated as a National Nature Reserve, and encroach on scenery that has been rightly recognised as a Special Landscape Area. The access route will gouge through the Alt na Caoraich burn – which is a Site of Specific Scientific Interest.

“This industrial energy plant is far too close to our wild land; it jeopardises the natural beauty that sustains jobs associated with tourism.

“There are already many wind farms in this area – saturating the area with wind towers will leave little space clear of mechanised industry.

“Many more people in the Highland region have tourism related jobs than in maintaining wind development, which is largely done electronically. I urge the Highland Council to think about the human impact of risking such an important source of sustainable employment.

“Ben Wyvis is a famous peak important for wildlife, which is home to at least 2.4% of the breeding Eurasian Dotterel in Great Britain. So for both ecological and landscape impacts, this is a development in the wrong place.”

In a separate development Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has withdrawn its earlier holding objection to a windfarm near Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

SNH says that after working with the develper its concerns in relation to possible impacts on golden eagles and red-throated divers in the Lewis Peatlands Special Protection Area have been addressed.

Lewis Wind Power provided additional information to enable SNH to assess the impacts on the two species. The firm also reduced the number of turbines from 42 to 36 to safeguard the SPA.

David Maclennan, SNH area manager in the Outer Hebrides, confirmed SNH has no outstanding concerns about the development. He added: “We have worked closely with Lewis Wind Power and Stornoway Trust, our aim being to help them find a solution that meets their requirements whilst safeguarding the eagles and divers in the Lewis Peatlands SPA. Now that the most sensitive turbines have been removed from the proposal, we’re confident the risks to the SPA have been addressed. We very much welcome the close working arrangement we have had with Lewis Wind Power throughout this process. They have taken on board our concerns and have been very keen from the outset to do what they could to address them.”

He added: “Scotland has huge potential in renewable energy and it should be possible to achieve targets whilst making sure the impacts on nature and landscape are sustainable. The challenge is to make sure the right developments happen in the right places.”

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