Anti-windfarm campaigners yesterday called on an energy giant to withdraw its plans for 31 turbines on the edges of the Cairngorms National Park.
The Save Monadhliath Mountains (SMM) campaign claims that the development, proposed by RWE npower renewables, was “inappropriate” for such an area of wild land.
But the energy company said last night they had no intention of withdrawing the application.
A public inquiry was held into the Allt Duine plans earlier this year and the report is being considered by Scottish ministers.
But the SMM group say that approval of the plans for the 410ft turbines is “impossible” because of ministers’ previous rejection of another windfarm development.
Finance minister John Swinney turned down the Glenkirk application in June, stating that Eurus energy’s plans for 26 turbines on Dava Moor would have significant adverse effects on wild land.
The SMM group says that the impact of Allt Duine would be greater because the site is within Scottish Natural Heritage’s core wild land area, which was published earlier this year.
The application, for land on Alvie, Dalraddy and Dunachton estates, was opposed by three statutory consultees, including Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Cairngorms National Park Authority and Highland Council.
The boundary of the Cairngorm National Park is just 440 yards away from the nearest turbine.
SMM spokesman, mountaineer Chris Townsend said thatthe three factors had created “an insurmountable barrier” to the development.
“In the face of such stiff planning, political and policy hurdles, in addition to a directly comparable ministerial decision, the case against the application is so overwhelming that the proposal will limp into the minister’s in-tray for a decision before being hastily dispatched to the wastebasket,” he said in a letter to RWE npower.
Yesterday he added: “It is clear that Allt Duine is a speculative application that took advantage of the Scottish Government’s political commitment to renewable energy.
“Everyone is convinced that a windfarm at Allt Duine would be a step too far for the beautiful scenery of the Cairngorms National Park and the Monadhliath Mountains. I hope that RWE will do the decent thing and withdraw the application immediately.”
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