Scottish ministers have refused planning permission for a wind farm comprising 39 turbines in the Monadhliath mountains due to concerns about its visual impact.
Simec Wind One, a subsidiary of Simec Energy Solutions, had proposed to install the £158m turbine array on a site near Stronelairg Wind Farm, which was given planning consent in 2014.
The company is run by the father of GFG Alliance chair Sajeev Gupta, Parduman Kumar Gupta, who is also in charge of the GFG-owned hydro electric plant which powers its aluminium smelter in Fort William.
The plans for the Glenshero Wind Farm were opposed by RSPB Scotland, Cairngorm National Park Authority, John Muir Trust, Mountaineering Scotland and Anders Povlsen’s Wildland.
The groups raised concerns about the visual impact created by the wind turbines on the surrounding mountain landscape and its danger to rare species, as they risked colliding with the turbine blades.
The company proposed the turbines to be 135m tall from the ground to the tip of the blade. The wind farm was said to be able to generate up to 168 megawatts of renewable energy.
Scottish ministers noted that no part of the development is located within a “wild land area”, but argued that it would “substantially affect” the “wildness” qualities of the area.
“Although, the proposed development would be located outwith the boundaries of the park, wild land areas and special landscape areas; there would be localised but significant landscape character impacts arising from the proposed development intruding into a sensitive landscape transition when seen from the south at higher elevations.
“There would be extensive significant visual amenity impacts over a considerable distance and on a receptor (hill walkers) regarded as being highly sensitive to such a change.”
Ministers also stated that the “adverse impacts” of the proposed development “significantly and demonstrably outweigh the renewable energy and economic benefits that would arise if the proposed development were deployed”.
A GFG Alliance spokesman said: “GFG is disappointed by the decision and reviewing the documents published with the decision notice.”
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