Beauty spots 'at risk' from wind farms

Concerns about the blueprint, which has been drawn up for the council by independent consultants, were voiced during a day-long debate which included speakers representing Highland communities and energy experts.
 
It will now be discussed at a planning meeting next month prior to final approval by the full council in May, although council chiefs acknowledged changes are inevitable.
 
It identifies 11 "preferred" areas across the region where national scale wind farms would be encouraged, including the Monadhliaths and Balmacaan Forest, by Inverness.
 
Mr David Henderson, former head of industrial and natural resources development with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, told the meeting this was unacceptable and would blight large swathes of the region.
 
"The draft strategy argues that the impact can be localised and made acceptable by identifying sacrificial areas of lower scenic importance, " he said.
 
"This I cannot accept.
 
"The beauty of the Highlands is an integral whole - how can you possibly say that some parts of it are second-rate - like the Monadhliaths or Balmacaan Forest or the East Sutherland hills?"
 
Mr Henderson argued that tourism would pay a heavy price. "New images of the Highlands as a landscape dominated by wind turbines will circulate and our reputation will be tarnished."
 
He added: "Payments to local communities are simply bribes and they have no right to sell off the beautiful landscape for their own profit. The beauty of the landscape shouldn't be put up for sale because we no longer need jobs at any price."
 
Mr Bob Graham, chairman of Highlands Against Windfarms Group, attacked the document as "illinformed nonsense" and maintained that windpower would have a negligible impact on global warming.
 
"Let's get real, " he declared. "This is not about climate change or even electricity generation. It is purely about money."
 
Councillor Margaret Davidson, member for Loch Ness West, voiced her fears about the cumulative effect of onshore wind farms. "I think there are three concerns - the mapping and zoning and impact it will have on communities, " she said. "We have a lot of zones around Loch Ness.
 
There is very clear zoning around the Monadhliaths. I think it is too much."
 
Highland Council's director of planning, John Rennilson, confirmed that changes would be made to the document but stressed the importance of councillors adopting a framework to retain control.
 
"If we do nothing, it is the men in grey suits from the reporter's unit in Falkirk and Glasgow which will take the decisions away from the Highlands, " he warned.