August 20, 2010
Scotland

Link to Wolf of Badenoch ‘should rule out Dava turbines’

The Press and Journal, www.pressandjournal.co.uk 20 August 2010

The Wolf of Badenoch, who terrorised parts of the north in the 1390s, has played a part in a decision by planners to recommend rejection of windfarm development in hills surrounding Dava Moor.

Infinergy, with Cawdor Estate, are behind proposals for 17 turbines at Tom nan Clach, and on Monday members of Highland Council’s planning committee will attend a site visit and a special meeting when the planning officer will advise them to reject the plan.

The committee has also been consulted by the Scottish Government on a 31-turbine application at Glenkirk nearby, and it is being recommended councillors object to this application, and refuse permission for an access track. Because Glenkirk involves more than 50MW being produced, it has to be considered by Scottish ministers.

The Wolf’s lair is a now ruined castle on an island in Lochindorb in the middle of the moor, and Highland Council’s planning officers took into account the special ambience of the site and the surrounding moorland in considering the Tom na Clach site, some nine miles distant.

A report for the meeting on the Tom na Clach application states: “Historic Scotland advises that the proposals will not have any significant impact on the setting of any scheduled ancient monument.

“Many of those who have made representations on this development consider that the experience of Lochindorb will be significantly adversely affected.

“There is considerable merit in this view.

“Lochindorb was, after all, the stronghold of the infamous Wolf of Badenoch, Alexander Stewart.”

But this led Mark van Rij, senior project manager at Infinergy, to hit back yesterday. He said: “The two reasons given are the visual impact and the impact on the landscape around Lochindorb, yet the two statutory bodies responsible for advising government on these issues – SNH and Historic Scotland – have not objected to our proposal.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/08/20/link-to-wolf-of-badenoch-should-rule-out-dava-turbines/