The decision to turn down plans for a wind farm on the edge of the world-renowned Glen Affric area, west of the Great Glen, has been welcomed as “positive news” by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and the John Muir Trust.
The proposal, by German developers, wpd, would have led to the construction of six turbines, each 400 foot high, on the edge of one of Scotland’s most famous landscapes.
The project was opposed by wild land charity the John Muir Trust, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland which represents Scotland’s hillwalkers and mountaineers, two local community councils and over 1,000 members of the public.
The full text of the report explaining the decision, issued by the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals, makes 28 separate references to wild land and concludes that “The safeguarding of wild land is a significant national objective.”
Looking towards the proposed wind farm site from the Glen Affric mountains
Helen McDade, Head of Policy for the John Muir Trust said: “We warmly welcome this decision, which is a victory not just for those local communities who have campaigned strongly against the proposal, but also those of us who believe Scotland’s wild land is a precious national asset worthy of protection.
“It is significant that a substantial section of the decision focuses on wild land protection.
“We would now urge the Scottish Government to move swiftly to reject three other outstanding applications for much larger developments on wild land areas at Sallachy and Glencassley in Sutherland, and at Allt Duine on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park.”
MCofS Chief Officer David Gibson said: “This is positive news for Scotland’s wild land. We welcome the Reporter’s decision to dismiss the appeal and refuse planning permission, particularly his recognition that the safeguarding of wild land is a significant national objective.
“We are also pleased that he has accepted that this development would have had a serious adverse effect on the enjoyment of the wild land character of the area by recreational users.”
In a 38-page report explaining his reasons for the decision, the Reporter said the enjoyment of people walking along the mountains on the northern periphery of Glen Affric, a National Scenic Area, would be seriously affected.
And he noted that many of the objections to the proposal contained “passionate arguments” about the importance of this asset for recreational visitors, tourism, and as part of Scotland’s national heritage.
He concluded: “The very modest contribution that would be made to renewable energy generation falls well short of justifying acceptance of the various significant adverse effects that would be caused to local residents, recreation visitors, the visual and wild land qualities of the ridge along the north side of Glen Affric and on Beinn Mhor itself.”