Wildlife charity calls for judge to stop wind farm development

Lawyers acting for a wildlife charity have asked a judge to stop a wind farm development at a beauty spot in the Highlands.

The John Muir Trust claim the Scottish Government should never have given the go ahead to the 67-turbine Stronelairg development near Fort Augustus.

On Wednesday, the organisation's legal team told the Court of Session that the June 2014 decision contravenes planning laws.

Advocate Sir Crispin Agnew QC told judge Lord Jones that if the scheme were to proceed, it would result in a piece of wild land being destroyed.

Sir Crispin added: "If consent was granted, this land would be cease to be called wild land."The senior lawyer was speaking on the first day of a judicial review at the Edinburgh court.

The John Muir trust want the Court of Session to rule that the government's decision was illegal and for the proposed development to be stopped.

The proposed wind farm project would be located in the Monadhliath mountains and would cover an area equivalent in size to Inverness.

Opponents claim that people would be able to see the wind turbines from several miles away.

The proposal was approved by energy minister Fergus Ewing despite opposition from Scottish National Heritage and members of the public.

The proposal was also granted without a public local inquiry taking place.

At the time the decision was granted, the government said the project would generate power for 114,000 homes and bring £30m of benefits to the area.

Mr Ewing said the wind farm would create work during its construction and operation.

He added: "Once it is up and running, the wind farm will save thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide each year and will be able to produce enough electricity to power thousands of homes in the Highlands."

"As well as bringing benefits to the local community, the Stronelairg wind farm will also benefit the wider Highland region through the provision of a sustainable development fund."

However, the John Muir Trust and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland also opposed the scheme.

The trust - which was established in 1983 to conserve wild land and wild places in Scotland - argues that the proposal would destroy a place of outstanding beauty.

The trust also believes that the wind farm would have a negative effect on tourism.

On Wednesday, Sir Crispin told the court that the Scottish government's decision was illegal and that the court should stop the proposed wind farm being built.

He added: "It ought to be protected."

The proceedings, which continue on Thursday, are expected to take three days. Lawyers for the Scottish government and SSE - the company that wants to operate the wind farm - are also expected to address the court.