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The Scottish Executive
Energy Consents Unit
2nd Floor, Meridian Court
5 Cadogan Street
Glasgow G2 6AT
Dear Sir
Objection to the Lochluichart wind farm scheme,
Ross and Cromarty East, The Highlands:
Amended application
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) objects to the amended application by LZN Ltd to construct and operate a wind farm on the higher land between Loch Luichart and Loch Glascarnoch.
The MCofS is recognised by sportScotland the national body representing hillwalkers, climbers and ski-tourers. We are a membership organisation with over 2500 individual members, and 144 affiliated clubs with a further 7,000 members.
While acknowledging that the amended application is for fewer turbines, the MCofS still considers that this is an inappropriate location for an industrial development of this scale which will adversely affect the landscape of a large part of the Highlands.
- The proposed wind farm would be visible from a large number of hills, including the popular Munros of An Teallach, Beinn Dearg, Slioch, Beinn Eighe, Ben Wyvis and Sgurr Mor (Fannaichs), and a variety of other hills in the surrounding area. It would thus adversely impact on the views from a wide variety of hills that are popular with an increasing number of walkers and climbers, many of whom visit the area from outwith Scotland. The detrimental affect on the amenity of the hills would occur at a time when the Scottish Executive is seeking to increase the level of recreational activity, including walking and climbing, in an effort to improve the health and well-being of the Scottish people. In this context sportScotland research indicates that 5% of the Scottish population regularly visit the hills for recreation and exercise, and that this trend is increasing.
- It should be noted that due to the natural appearance of Highland hills with few, if any, significant man-made intrusions a wind farm is generally a very major intrusion in the landscape, even at a considerable distance. This is clearly apparent with existing wind farms.
- Associated with our first two points is the fact that the proposed wind farm would also intrude into the views from, and people’s enjoyment of, several areas of wild land as identified by SNH’s ‘Search Areas for Wild Land’.
- The proposed wind farm is located in between two key tourist routes, the A832 to Achnasheen and the A835 to Ullapool. Many surveys have demonstrated that tourists visit the Highlands for the area’s internationally-renowned landscapes and thousands of jobs are dependent on this natural resource. This very important and increasing economic asset should not be jeopardised by such a development.
- The proposed site lies within the zone with a “presumption against development for major onshore wind farms” in Highland Council’s Highland Renewable Energy Strategy and Planning Guidelines, which was adopted in May 2006 after considerable consultation.
- Negative impacts on habitats and wildlife, particularly birds, remain a significant concern. The site includes substantial areas of peat which if destroyed or disturbed as part of this proposed development would lose their ability to act as a carbon sink.
- By retaining the access track from the north, even though the application has been amended to remove the northern turbines, a significant and detrimental intrusion in the local landscape is also retained. In reality this is a major road with a running width of at least 5m.
- The MCofS is very concerned that the Section 36 Application area has not been reduced to reflect the area covered by the reduced number of turbines but remains the same as the earlier application for 43 turbines.
In conclusion, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland considers that this is an inappropriate development in an inappropriate location and urges the Scottish Executive to reject this proposal.
Yours faithfully
David Gibson
Senior Officer
Mountaineering Council of Scotland
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