Campaigners against potentially damaging developments on Glen Etive have welcomed news councillors are to visit the site ahead of a decision over whether to give the go-ahead to seven hydro schemes.
Members of the Mountaineering Scotland group welcomed the news and praised councillors for their consideration on the landscape, which is a major attraction to outdoor enthusiasts.
Stuart Younie, chief executive of Mountaineering Scotland, said: “We challenged Highland Council on its stewardship of Glen Etive and urged them to look at the whole picture of development in the glen rather than treating each application in isolation, so it is encouraging to see them visit the glen in person rather than relying on individual applications on paper.”
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Members of the Highland Council’s Planning Committee are set to follow in the footsteps of Daniel Craig and Dame Judy Dench and visit Glen Etive, which played prominence in 007 film Skyfall.
Davie Black, access and conservation cfficer with Mountaineering Scotland, said: “This is a National Scenic Area – the top accolade for landscape in Scotland – but once the wild feel of the landscape is gone, it is gone. We believe it is in the national interest to maintain its value for generations to come.
“Highland Council has the stewardship of this scenic glen and mountains in its hands. We trust that the committee members will appreciate the value of our wild mountain landscapes and reject development that damages the integrity of that landscape.”
The meeting is set to take place on Wednesday where a decision on the applications is likely to be made.
