Climbing chief’s parting shot over windfarm blight

Retiring Mountaineering Scotland boss blasts government policy

The head of the organisation that represents Scotland’s climbers and hill walkers is leaving his post after more than a decade while taking a swipe at the “unsustainable” growth of windfarms on wild land.

David Gibson, chief executive officer of the 14,000-strong Mountaineering Scotland, is one of the best known figures in the Scottish outdoor community.

After 11 years in his role, 65-year-old Mr Gibson is set to retire in March. He said that though Mountaineering Scotland had won several battles against intrusive windfarms it had also lost others and some areas of the Highlands were now “irrevocably damaged”.

“It is not sustainable for the First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon) or Visit Scotland to trumpet Scotland as the best country in the world to visit while these large windfarms are being built on such a scale,” he said.

“And there are two dozen more in the pipeline of concern because of their size and positioning. There have already been too many windfarms constructed – or will be built – that have irrevocably damaged the landscape, or will do when they are constructed.

“The Government has never sat down and consulted on spatial planning policy for windfarms. I think they have now come some way in regards to National Scenic Areas to protect them against windfarms. I would like to see that extended to wildland.”

Mr Gibson’s job is being advertised at a package of £42,000 to £50,000-a-year.

Retiring Mountaineering Scotland chief David Gibson.