Yet another planning application for a telecommunication mast has appeared (see here), this time in the heart of Torridon on land owned by the National Trust for Scotland. This is a National Scenic Area, a Wild Land Area and the walk through from Glen Torridon to Loch Torridon one of the finest in Scotland.
One could not think of a more inappropriate place for a telecommunications mast. The politicians who take the decisions and have funded this development along with the commercial interests they serve have a complete disregard for the landscape.
There is no visual impact assessment accompanying the application but the site appears to have been chosen to eliminate the telecommunications “total not spot” between the Torridon giants of Liathach, Beinn Eighe, Beinn Dearg and Beinn Alligin as much as is possible. That means the 25m tower will be visible from far and wide, including the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve which NatureScot, the body responsible for Scotland’s National Scenic Areas and Wild Land Areas, owns and manages.
One of the National Trust for Scotland’s managers has posted about this mast but we need some leadership from the very top of both NTS and NatureScot. That means both organisations should lodge objections next week but publicise this through the press and social media, with quotes from their Chairs and Chief Executives, in order to get this application, like the mast at Luibeg in the Cairngorms, withdrawn.
As the application admits, this mast does not serve ANY local community. That should make it easy to reject if the outdoor recreation community, NTS and NatureScot to say we don’t want it. From a recreational perspective an important part of the value of being away from it all in the heart of Torridon is that mobile phones DON’T work and you need to be self-reliant.
The application is short on other detail, for example while it says a helicopter will be used to transport in materials, it also appears that wheeled vehicles will be driven onto the site and there is a reference to importing stone if necessary. However, there is little point in the general public commenting on such matters, to do so would be to suggest the application is acceptable. It’s not.
It only take a few minutes to object to the plannng application via the comments facility here. I hope people will consider doing so and also contacting NTS and NatureScot and asking them to show some leadership. If you are wanting to find words to describe the amazing landscape qualities of the area that would be affected by this mast NatureScot’s statement on the Flowerdale, Shieldaig and Torridon Wild Land Area is very helpful (see here).
Following a number of posts from George Allan of the North East Mountain Trust and myself about telecommunications masts, e.g. Telecommunications masts – a landscape disaster for Scotland’s hills my most recent post (see here) argued the coalition of NGOs opposing these masts need to re-think how they campaign because its not been working, I am keen to help raise awareness of what is going on, hence this post, but even better would be if the coalition created a shared forum for doing so, “mast watch” if you like.
Meantime short guest posts would be welcome to highlight new applications (hence why this is numbered 1). The basic information required is a link to the planning application, a map showing the location of the proposed mast and a photo of the site (there is usually one in the application but if you have your own even better) so readers can see where and what the issue is and can object easily.
This is all part of a national rollout supposedly for the benefit of the emergency services and people using the hills. I have it on very good authority that NatureScot staff have been told to expect lots of applications for masts in protected areas and will take into account factors like visual impact in NSAs and National Parks when they do their impact assessments. These can lead to actions such as resiting to ameliorate the impacts, but it’s not part of NatureScot’s remit to challenge the need in the first place. This really needs a big and coordinated campaign if we are to stop it – the power of the commercial interests involved and the automatic presumption in the political world that safety trumps everything else make it unlikely that the overarching principle behind this of mobile phone connectivity everywhere will be dropped without a difficult fight. Objecting to each application as it comes up is likely to lead to ‘outrage exhaustion’, though it will certainly be useful to see the scale of the problem as applications are submitted.
Dr Adam Watson left the HIE funicular project in the 90’s with one of his concerns being that HIE’s ideas for rewilding parts of Corrie Cas were to sit in their office in Inverness and stick pins in a map. They didn’t even bother to make a site visit to look at where they intended planting. Same thing happening now only instead of trees it’s mobile phone masts!
I submitted an objection to this ludicrous application yesterday. NO OTHER OBJECTIONS, whether from individuals or NGOs, had been posted at that point. I know by looking at the minutes of Torridon and Kinlochewe Community Council (available online) that they are horrified and have objected to THC, presumably directly, not sure why nothing – yet – shows on the portal. I wrote to my MP a week ago, no reply so far. TKCC minutes note that the contractor had no idea about the size of the mountains! As a hillgoer, I stated clearly that I do not need a mobile phone signal there and am horrified anyone should think I do. The patronising “tourist pamphlet” implies tourists can’t survive without the kind of internet service they get at home. I’m in despair over this business. Previous failed campaigns in parallel areas shredded my mental health very badly; the prospect of seeing Torridon and Fisherfield degraded like this is too painful to contemplate.
My guess is objections lodged over the weekend wait till Monday to be “approved”, Nick
That’s my hope, Nick, but it’s worrying nonetheless. i’ve emailed JMT and MS to ask them whether there’s something going on behind the scenes. Not that they’re likely to tell the likes o’ me …
Same here after my objection submitted, and I’ve also assumed that comments are moderated first
As a Landscape Planner the ‘Design & Access’ Statement describes the well known…..rolling hills and lakes of Torridon………. Apparently they have carried out a proper assessment of the character of the area…. (I’m assuming they mean Landscape).
To quote….
“In particular:
• Considerations of design and layout are informed by the context, having regard the immediate
landscape and wider locality. Around the rolling hills there are small streams and lakes as well as
rugged coastal landscape resulting in a locality with a variety of form, colour and grain, which is
further diversified by changes of scale and aspect which have all helped to inform and determine
the character and identity of the development.
• The scale, massing and height of proposed development have been considered in relation to
that of the local topography, the general pattern of heights in the area, views and vistas.
The following general design principles have been taken into account in respect of this proposed
telecommunications development:
• A proper assessment of the character of the area concerned.
• That the design shows an appreciation of context;”
It’s obvious they haven’t used the correct Landscape Character baseline assessment, which is a requirement of any LVIA in Scotland. It’s https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/LCA/LCT%20328%20-%20Rugged%20Mountain%20Massif%20-%20Ross%20&%20Cromarty%20-%20final%20pdf.pdf
This is copy & paste job. Even the CMS refers to Argyll & Bute Council (A&B roads department)….
Would you perhaps submit an objection and add that detail? I find myself incoherent with rage these days when I try to write an objection. You sound very much on the ball!
Thanks Nick
I’ve added an objection.
Just a thought – it might also be worth petitioning Mtn Rescue through someone like David Whalley, because an argument ‘for’ such structures in places like this might be from a safety POV. However, I’d be suprised if many or any of the troops on the ground wanted such things. Many are in the process of being equipped beyond civilian telecomms anyway.
Yes it would be good if bodies like the Mountain Rescue and Scottish Avalanche Information Service objected not just to this mast but to the whole principle of telecommunications being needed everywhere
On the same line of thought to something I posted on Nick’s blog last week.
What on earth has convinced Government to persist by insisting any of these masts are necessary. For over a decade already, many/most residents of remoter communities all across the highlands have accepted that the best TV reception comes via the freesat satellites. Look around, spot dishes to receve this on so many houses. We no longer need to try to find a signal from a massive masts, scores of miles away. That mast-based UHF technology is already ‘old school’. The same can be done for phones. Verical links to near space signal is being accepted all across Africa and Asia.
Must the UK – as in so much else -drag its heels in the face of technological advances , while everyone else accepts them takes advantage and moves on. Must the UK continue to destroy the few remaining wild vistas across its – to closed minds :”useless” – pristine places ?
Spot on, Tom. I understand that the UK Minister to e-mail on this topic is Sir John Whittingdale, (Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure). If you sent him exactly what you’ve posted here, you might cut some ice. He’s not going to want to go back on the terms of the contract he signed with the Mobile Network Operators, but he must be pushed in that direction. I understand Mountaineering Scotland has been doing a lot more behind the scenes than most of us realised, but it’s an uphill task because of the legal aspect.
There’s now a Question lodged in Holyrood asking the SG to consider:
https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers/question?ref=S6W-22985
Thanks for posting this, Robert. Quite a few people are now taking an interest in the situation, especially when Coire Mhic Nobuil was cited.
Delighted to report that I have just received notification from Highland Council that this planning application has been WITHDRAWN !