Will we be the generation that lets the last wild view vanish?

The John Muir Trust reacts to a proposal for a 65-turbine wind farm at Glenmarkie in the Monadhliath Mountains

Back in 2020, the Trust submitted an objection to the proposed Cloiche wind farm. The proposed development was for 36-turbines on land adjacent to the operational Stronelairg wind farm in the Monadhliaths. 

Fast forward to the current day, the Glenmarkie project, put forward by Swedish energy company and developer Vattenfall, proposes to build a 65-turbine wind farm at Glenmarkie in the Monadhliath Mountains.

Inappropriately sited wind farms and their infrastructure threaten to industrialise Scotland's land, degrading fragile habitats and resulting in loss of biodiversity and increased carbon emissions.

This proposal would bring damage to an irreplaceable landscape at Monadhliath, spoiling views from its four Munros and reducing vital wild places available for rural communities. 

The turbines would be situated about 10 miles east of Fort Augustus, joining yet more wind farm developments in the area; the 23-turbine Corriegarth Wind Farm, and 66-turbine Stronelairg Wind Farm. 

A national conversation is needed urgently about how we can reduce our carbon emissions without destroying the wild landscapes that define us.

We stand with the Highland communities who are calling for pause and transparency on this proposal, which would allow communities to understand the cumulative impact that this decision would have. 

The Trust's Head of Policy, David Fleetwood said “The Glenmarkie Wind Farm is just one of many examples threatening irreplaceable landscapes like the Monadhliath Mountains.

“Right now, the approach to renewables is piecemeal: cumulative impacts are hidden, and our planning system is blind to the steady creep of industrialisation disguised as ‘site by site’ approvals.

“Profit for energy companies is being dressed up as climate action. Unless political leaders deliver strategic planning that truly balances renewables, community benefit and landscape protection, we risk losing what makes Scotland unique. 

“Already, you can stand on almost any Munro and see the march of turbines.

"Will we be the generation that lets the last wild view vanish?”

• Want to know more about our stance on wind farms and how they impact wild areas? Read our Wind Farm FAQS