'Our votes are too few to be important': No Ring of Steel leader lashes out at Meall Buidhe Wind Farm appeal success
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The leader of a Sutherland wind farm campaign group has accused the Scottish Government of not listening to Highland voices after a controversial development was given the go-ahead on appeal.
Ashley Smith, chairman of No Ring of Steel (NORoS) spoke out after it emerged last week that Highland Council’s rejection of the planned Meall Buidhe Wind Farm had been overturned by a Scottish Government reporter.
The eight-turbine, 40mw development is now set to be built on Croick Estate, on the side of the hill facing Altass and Rosehall. The site is 4km south-west of Rosehall and 12km west of Ardgay.
It will be the fourth such development in the area and has been bitterly opposed by local people in the communities most affected - Rosehall, Altass, Brae, Durcha and Linside. A total of 306 objections were lodged with planners.
Mr Smith, of Rosehall, said: “We are constantly being told that communities are being listened to, that decisions on controversial developments won’t be forced on communities and yet in reality this is not the case. It is just our Highland voices and our votes are too few to be considered important.”
NORoS has now written to First Minister Humza Yousaf, planning minister Joe FitzPatrick and Sutherland MSP Maree Todd “expressing their shock and anger”.
Members of the North Planning Applications Committee voted 9:2 against Meall Buidhe at a meeting in June last year amid concern over its visual impact and the cumulative effect it would have with other developments in the area.
But developers Meall Buidhe Renewables LLP lodged an appeal against the decision and Scottish Government reporter Allison Coard upheld that appeal with her report released into the public domain last week.
Mr Smith said: “I find it impossible that this development can be imposed on our rural community and that the objections from residents and local businesses, an objection from the community council and the refusal by Highland Council can just be ignored and overruled.”
He was also critical of the reporter for refusing to meet with local people during her visit to the area.
“It is so sad that one person can make this decision in a visit of less than three days, and leave the communities having to live with this for the next 30 years,” he said.
“I also find it amazing that despite several requests, the reporter point blank refused to have an evening oral session where residents could raise their concerns, or be accompanied on their visit by a representative of the local fishers to raise their environmental concerns. In fact the reporter stated that she felt this was unnecessary.
“The go-ahead for Meall Buidhe will open up the south side of the river now for even more developers, and we are already aware of other early scoping in the area. A public inquiry for a fifth development – Strath Oykel – is also to take place.
“Just when will this tsunami of greedy wind farm developers be stopped or are our beautiful Highlands and rural communities destined to be destroyed and turned into an industrial wasteland in another form of Highland Clearances?
“Many people are just giving up, saying what is the point in fighting or objecting? And this is just eroding the power of local democracy. Some people have even contacted estate agents to try and move away whilst they can still sell their homes.”
Mr Ashley said that NORoS had sent a report regarding the proliferation of wind farms in the Rosehall area to Alexander Burnett MSP who hosted a roundtable meeting last week with MSPs and representatives from communities where wind farms have become dominant..
An open discussion was later held on how the planning process for wind farms exceeding 50mw should change to ensure that communities were a key determinant in the final decision.
“Although we are not in his constituency, Mr Burnett asked to speak about Meall Buidhe as a case study,” said Mr Smith.
