Anger over plans for seven hydro dams at 007 film venue
“We have objected to three and will evaluate any changes if they address our concerns and we will not pursue our objections.”
In addition to the resubmitted proposals for Allt Fhaolaon and Allt Mheuran, there are five others planned that received fewer opponents.
Mountaineers and hillwalkers are opposed to the schemes on the grounds of noise, scarring of the landscape and the impact to river levels.
Mr Gibson urged others who objected to the first application to object to the resubmitted application: “There were 140 objections to the original Allt Fhaolaon scheme.
“Speaking personally, a hydro scheme in a scenic area is not good. I think hydro schemes should be refused.”
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency also objected to the proposals at Allt Fhoalaon because the work would interfere with spawning salmon.
Developer Dickins Hydro Resources was established in 2011 after the completion of a 950Kw hydro scheme at Roromore, Glen Lyon, in Perth & Kinross.
The firm hopes to develop 10Mw of electricity capacity in three years and extend that to 30Mw of operational capacity over the next 10 years.
Chief executive William Dickins said the company had come to agreement with the Scottish Canoe Association to retain river levels at a high enough level to ensure their continued use for canoeing.
The hydro schemes are expected to generate community income of £5,000 per megawatt.
The company has pledged to return the land to its original condition after opposition to the schemes.
Construction of the hydro dams is expected to last two years.
Allt Mhuiran received the bulk of the objections and the company said it had “significantly redesigned” the scheme in the resubmitted planning application.
The new scheme will reduce the intake of water from the river at a much lower point than the originally envisaged.
Mr Dickins said: “With the exception of Allt Caitlin, which already has an access track to it, we’re not going to leave any access tracks after construction and we will restore the land back to the original condition.
“One of the schemes most affected by the objections was on Allt Mhuiran because of visual impact and we have significantly redesigned that scheme. “We’ve brought the intake right down by about 18 vertical metres so it’s now at a much lower point.”