The John Muir Trust (JMT) is urging the Highland Council to reject its Planning Officer's recommendation for a 22-turbine wind farm in Sutherland.

The Cred Riabnach wind farm would be partially located within an official Wild Land Area at Altnaharra, with a visual impact extending to a further three Wild Land Areas.

Objections to the scheme are wide-ranging, with straddle government agencies, environmental charities and outdoor groups including SNH, Visit Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland all in opposition.

The SNH has stated the development would 'significantly and adversely affect wild land', while Visit Scotland has expressed concern over the potential negative impact on tourism.

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In addition, the Scottish Wildlife Trust stated it is 'alarmed' at the impact on blanket bog and on the government's own climate change targets.

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland has also pointed to the visual disfigurement of a key mountain landscape, which includes a number of popular Munros and Corbetts, such as Ben Klibreck and Ben Hope.

Helen McDade, Head of Policy for the JMT, said: "Given the breadth of opposition from expert bodies, it would be negligent of Highland Council to allow this application to proceed without the scrutiny of a Public Local Inquiry.

"In our judgement, the Planning Officer's report fails to address the wide range of negative impacts that this development would have on wild land, peatland and tourism. Nor does the decision reflect Scottish Government planning policy brought in last year, which gives greater protection to Wild Land Areas. Highland Council needs to urgently review its planning policy and assessments urgently.

"The Planning Officer's recommendation also appears to fly in the face of three recent decisions by Scottish Government ministers, refusing consent to wind farms in other wild land areas in the Highlands."

(LM/MH)