Call for wild land protection

MOUNTAINEERING Scotland is calling for absolute protection for wild land in planning policy.

The representative body for hill walkers has hit out at planners following the outcome of a judicial review which upheld plans for a wind farm to be built on a wild land area in the Highlands.

Views from northern mountains, such as Scotland’s most northerly Munro Ben Hope, will be impacted by the 22-turbine Creag Riabhach wind farm, with five of the turbines standing within a wild land area on the Altnaharra Estate in Sutherland.

Mountaineering Scotland chief executive officer David Gibson said: ‘This outcome emphasises why the Scottish Government must change its present policy. Wild land areas must get the same absolute protection as National Scenic Areas and National Parks.’