Jane Candlish
PLANS for a controversial £200million windfarm in the heart of a globally-important Highland landscape have been blown off course by people power.
The Strathy South scheme will now be the subject of a public inquiry after councillors rejected their own officials’ advice and voted to object to it.
More than 30 people demonstrated outside the local authority’s Inverness headquarters yesterday as members of the north planning applications committee arrived.
They brandished placards with slogans such as “For peat’s sake, say no to Strathy windfarms”.
SSE Renewables wants to site 47 turbines at Strathy South in an area of internationally-important blanket bog known as the Flow Country.
The RSPB and Scottish Natural Heritage were among more than 200 objecters to the development – amid claims the 443ft turbines could harm birds living on the bog.
Members of the planning committee said they could not ignore SNH’s objection, which raised concerns for two species, the greenshank and the red-throated diver.
Dingwall councillor Angela Maclean said that she felt it was “hypocritical” to condemn the recent spate of raptor poisonings on the Black Isle and then support a development which could badly affect other bird populations.
She added: “I think the Scottish Government should take the decision. I have a difficulty with saying one thing and agreeing to do another.”
Landward Caithness member David Bremner said: “We must not lose sight of the fact that the Flow Country is of international importance.
“I would prefer that these matters are fleshed-out at a public local inquiry.
“A public local inquiry is a completely different forum for these matters to be aired and evidence can be tested in front of the public by a reporter.”
Councillor Audrey Sinclair, who represents Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh, said: “I do not think that we should be ignoring SNH at this stage.
“I would feel very uncomfortable if we did not raise an objection. We should be supporting the objection raised by SNH.”
But Cromarty Firth councillor Maxine Smith supported the application and said: “It seems massive to refuse this on the case for two bird species.”
She was supported by Thurso councillor Donnie Mackay, who said the plans would bring jobs to the area and to Caithness.
The RSPB’s conservation planning officer, Pete Gordon, said he was pleased with the decision.
He added: “We would encourage SSE to drop this site in favour of other proposals which are less damaging.
“This would be right in the middle of the Flow Country where work is being done to restore the area.”