THE John Muir Trust has welcomed the decision by the Scottish Government to refuse permission for the Beinn Mhor wind farm on the edge of Glen Affric.
The bid for six 400m high turbines was also opposed by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, two local community councils and over 1,000 members of the public.
The full text of the report explaining the decision, issued by the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals, makes 28 separate references to wild land and concludes that “The safeguarding of wild land is a significant national objective.”
Helen McDade, Head of Policy for the John Muir Trust said: “We warmly welcome this decision, which is a victory not just for those local communities who have campaigned strongly against the proposal, but also those of us who believe Scotland’s wild land is a precious national asset worthy of protection.
“It is significant that a substantial section of the decision focuses on wild land protection.
“We would now urge the Scottish Government to move swiftly to reject three other outstanding applications for much larger developments on wild land areas at Sallachy and Glencassley in Sutherland, and at Allt Duine on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park.”
