Altnaharra wind farm sparks fury
A NATIONAL charity is "furious" with a Scottish Government decision to give consent to a Sutherland wind farm which will be the first to breach its own wild land map boundaries.
Energy minister Paul Wheelhouse announced on Monday that he has given the go ahead for the construction of the 22-turbine Creag Riabhach Wind Farm on the Altnaharra Estate in central Sutherland.
But the chief executive of the John Muir trust (JMT), Stuart Brooks, was concerned the project would become a "Trojan horse".
The wind farm will have a generating capacity of 72.6MW, enough to power 36,000 homes, with estimated savings of 66,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
The proposed development is anticipated to provide in excess of £9 million in community benefit.
Five of the turbines will fall within the boundary of Wild Land Area 37 (Foinaven-Ben Hee).
Mr Brooks said: "Naturally, we are very disappointed and concerned. This is the first such development to be consented within the boundaries of the wild land areas map since it was agreed in 2014.
"The decision flies in the face of a series of previous decisions by the Scottish Government, refusing consent to similar applications impacting on wild land areas.
"This is not a few small community-owned turbines. It is a major industrial development, including giant turbines, access roads and transmission infrastructure, which will almost certainly lead to the redrawing of the boundary of Wild Land Area 37.
"We are concerned that this project will become a Trojan Horse, attracting further large-scale industrial development into the area in the future, leading to further diminishing of the qualities of this wild place which attracts visitors from around the world. We also fear that the decision could set a precedent for other wild land areas."
The decision contradicts previous rulings by the Scottish Government to reject applications on wild land grounds at Allt Duine, Glenmore, Carn Gorm, Sallachy and Glencassley.
Helen McDade, head of policy for JMT, said: "Given the inevitable controversy surrounding this application, it is surprising that the Scottish Government did not order a public local inquiry to ensure thorough scrutiny of all the implications of this development, not just for Wild Land Area 37, but potentially for other wild land areas in the future."
But the development received widespread support from the public and local community councils. The Highland Council also raised no objection. Both local MP Paul Monaghan and MSP Gail Ross have stated that they are delighted that consent was given.
The wind farm has been developed by a private firm in partnership with the local working estate.
Tim Philpot, director of Creag Riabhach Wind Farm, said: "Creag Riabhach will give the communities of this region a lasting legacy benefit of £700,000 through the estate’s Altnaharra Foundation. This is aimed at giving employment and business opportunities in the area and includes a partnership with North Highland College UHI, to provide training and skills, employment opportunities, and apprenticeship funding for local employers."
Pieter Bakker, estate manager and tenant farmer at Altnaharra Estate, said: "This is a significant boost to our estate and our community. "Altnaharra Estate is the main source of employment in the area and this project will help secure additional jobs for local people.
"We have always had a policy of supporting local businesses and are in the final stages of completing a £1 million-plus forestry project, which has provided work for many local companies. Creag Riabhach will work to this procurement model, supplying important job opportunities for local contractors.
"My local community and the other communities surrounding the estate will significantly benefit from this project, which will provide up to £9 million in inward investment. The economy in Sutherland is fragile and in desperate need of investment, in particular in Altnaharra.
"This is why we are all so delighted with this positive outcome. Projects like Creag Riabhach Wind Farm are vital to our communities, and are the only way in which we can create a sustainable legacy for future generations in the area."
Jim Johnston, secretary of Bettyhill, Strathnaver and Altnaharra Community Council said: "We are delighted that Scottish Ministers have recognised the benefits that Creag Riabhach Wind Farm will bring to our local communities.
"This development will provide a unique opportunity for the widely dispersed communities of north-west Sutherland to work together for the common good. We are very pleased that the voices of local communities in this most sparsely populated part of Scotland have been listened to."
"The five community councils in the area – Scourie, Kinlochbervie, Durness, Tongue, and Bettyhill, Strathnaver and Altnaharra – have agreed to participate in the North and West Sutherland Charitable Trust to distribute part of the community benefit fund, along with the Altnaharra Charitable Trust."
