Sutherland’s MP and MSP back call for Scottish and UK Governments to hold urgent debates over impact of major renewable energy projects on Highland communities

Sutherland’s political leaders have signed a document calling for debates to be held urgently in Holyrood and Westminster over the impact of major renewable energy project on communities across the Highlands.

MP Jamie Stone and MSP Maree Todd were among 11 of the region’s political representatives to sign the communique at a convention of community councils held at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness on Tuesday.

The convention was the second to be organised by Aird and Loch Ness councillor Helen Crawford. The first took place in Beauly in June.

Over 50 community councils from Sutherland and elsewhere in the region were represented at this latest event, collectively representing more than 72,000 Highland residents.

Several Highland councillors were also in attendance.

However, there was disappointment that no Scottish Government or UK Minister was present.

The Scottish Government stated that Energy Minister Gillian Martin was 'unable to attend', while her Westminster counterpart, Labour's Energy Minister Michael Shanks, declined on the grounds that planning is a devolved matter.

Community councils say they are drowning under a deluge of applications for major renewable energy schemes ranging from wind farms to battery energy storage systems and solar farms.

Community councils have criticised the Scottish Government for disregarding local views and for inadequate local consultation over renewable energy project applications, which they say is undermining local democracy.

A 'unified statement' outlining what the community councils would like to see discussed on the political stage was later released by the convention.

This includes a moratorium on all major renewable energy applications, given their impact on communities.

The community councils also want to see a planning inquiry address the cumulative impact of all major renewable energy infrastructure and developments.

Representatives of community councils spoke eloquently about the concerns of local residents regarding the large number of renewable energy projects.

Among those who addressed the meeting was Frank Roach, chairman of Rogart Community Council.

He spoke about the impact of wind farm construction traffic on his small, rural community.

“Rogart happily will soon have 99 turbines, but we are also an artery heading to the west,” he said. “That gives us about 2,500 single abnormal loads over the next five years.

“The most recent application that we opposed would see 250 metre-high turbines transported through the village.”

Mr Roach said that this was the equivalent of two large HGV convoys a day for several months and called it “totally unacceptable”.

He added that aside from wind farm components, aggregate and other supporting infrastructure would also need to be transported along the BBB through Rogart.”

Susan Ogston of Kiltarlity Community Council said: “Our unified statement represents the voices of over 80,000 people across the Highlands - that is not a number to be brushed aside.

“It is a clear and urgent signal that this issue demands attention not just locally but nationally, and I speak for every one of those Highlanders when I say no financial compensation can ever replace what we stand to lose.

Edward Mountain, the Highlands and Islands regional MSP, said that the biggest problem was that Scotland had started down the renewable energy route with 'no plan' and that the Scottish Government had simply allowed 'commercial developers to come in and try to take the best spots'.

He pointed out that £170 million in constraint payments had been made to power generators who had to reduce their output due to limitations in the electricity grid’s capacity in the first six months of 2025.

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