Protecting wild places - an update

As government consultations, planning applications, Public Local Inquiries, Parliamentary and Government business rolls on, so too does our work to protect wild places from inappropriate development. Here are some highlights from the past few months

Casework

Alerts to planning applications at various stages in the process continue to come into our inboxes on a weekly, and sometimes even daily, basis. We carefully assess all of these with a view to defending wild land as appropriate. Some recent examples include:

• Glenshero, an industrial-scale wind farm proposed in the Monadhliath mountains, that is going to be reviewed by Scottish Ministers this year. The Trust is engaged and expects to submit further information.
• We looked at an application for a new space port in Sutherland but decided this was, on balance, not one for us to engage with rather an example of a planning development that should be decided by Scottish Ministers.
• We are keeping watch of a potential revised application for Glencassley wind farm in Sutherland, which was the focus of Trust campaigning due to its impact on Wild Land Area 34.

Consultations and early engagement

We have responded to the following, drawing from knowledge across the Trust:

• SNH's draft Ranger Policy
• The proposed Remote Rural Communities Bill
• Argyll and Bute’s Local Development Plan
• Scottish Government's review of Permitted Development Rights
• The Environment Agency’s Challenges and Choices consultation
• SSEN Transmission's options for an upgraded overhead transmission line that will run from North Skye to Fort Augustus (the Skye Reinforcement Project)

Campaigns

Planning has an important role in helping to realise a healthier, wilder, more resilient, low carbon Scotland. With this in mind, we would like to see the continued recognition of Wild Land Areas in Scotland’s next National Planning Framework – read our submission to the Scottish Government’s Call for Ideas.

Partnership working

The Trust is now a member of Wales Environment Link and the UK-wide Wildlife and Countryside Link which will enable us to increase our influence at the Senedd and Westminster to match the work we undertake with Scottish Government. We continue to work with Scottish Environment LINK on advocacy concerning: deer management; landscape protection; hill tracks; planning and land use. We also advocate for the protection and repair of wild places as a member of alliances including Scotland’s Atlantic Woodland Alliance, Scottish Rewilding Alliance and the Montane Scrub Action Group.

As ever, please get in touch for more information.