| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Trust in windfarm plea to councillors
Credit: By Jane Candlish | The Press and Journal | 11 November 2014 | www.pressandjournal.co.uk ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
A conservation charity has appealed to Highland councillors to change their minds on plans for two controversial windfarms in Sutherland.
The Scottish Government is asking the local authority to review its previous response on the Glencassley and Sallachy windfarms near Lairg in light of their pronouncements on wild land areas.
The two developments lie within one of the newly designated wild areas.
SSE Renewables’ Glencassley scheme involves around 23 turbines near Rosehall, while WKN AG’s plans for Sallachy comprise 22 devices near Loch Shin.
In May last year, the council’s north planning committee agreed not to object to the proposals.
But the committee has been asked to look again at its decision because of the release of the wild lands map.
It will meet tomorrow to reassess its decision in light of the new information. Planning officials have recommended maintaining their original stance.
However, the John Muir Trust (JMT) has written to members of the committee asking them to raise objections.
JMT policy officer, John Low said that if approved, turbines “each three times the height of the Skye Bridge, would be scattered across an area officially mapped and defined as wild land”.
He added: “The integrity of the entire Wild Land Areas map would be compromised, and the commitments to wild land protection in the National Planning Framework and Scottish Planning Policy would be rendered worthless.”
“We are now urging councillors to reconsider both applications in the light of the spirit and content of new national planning policy and guidance.”
But last night, an SSE Renewables said: “We expect committee members to now objectively consider the recommendation by their planners – which is to make no further representation on this project.”
Oliver Patent, Head of Development UK, said: “In relation to wild land, the new SPP does not designate wild land but instead allows it to be considered alongside all other material planning considerations. The new SPP retains the flexibility for the planning authority (in this case Highland Council and the Scottish Government) to judge each application on its own merits and to come to a final view based on the economic and social benefits of the project.”
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=67955 ]
