Cononish River near Tyndrum
The decision comes at the end of a long running planning saga dating back to early 2010.
Planning officers had recommended approval after a resubmitted application addressed many of the environmental concerns relating to the production of waste and use of water on the site. Members of the Park Authority decided that the need for economic growth outweighed concerns about the environment. Conditions have been placed on Scotgold Resources to minimise the long term environmental impact.
This latest application, submitted in July this year, had been given a cautious welcome by SNH and the John Muir Trust on the proviso that environmental concerns had been properly addressed. The original planning application was refused by the Park Authority in August 2010.
Gordon Watson from the Park Authority said, “On balance, I have concluded that the temporary adverse impacts are outweighed by the anticipated outcome of a higher quality landscape and recreational experience being delivered in the long term. This benefit is in addition to the considerable economic benefits likely to accrue both to the Park area and wider Scottish economy. Critical to this is that the size, shape and contouring of the Tailings Management Facility can be restored to appear as a natural feature in the landscape.”
The original application from Scotgold Resources Ltd was to mine gold and silver and develop a controversial water extraction system. The mine had previously been abandoned as uneconomic in 1997 but recent surges in world gold prices had fuelled interest and exploratory work by Scotgold. Scotgold Resources Ltd is reported to also be looking into potential mining activities at a site just outside the National Park boundary.