George Allan
Two major issues have risen to the top of the agenda over the past months.
Over the years, more and more developments in remoter areas have required tracks. To the list of tracks for agricultural purposes, sporting interests, small scale hydro and wind farms, we can now add digital communication masts!
Up until now, most masts have been fairly near tarmacked roads. While the tracks to these are often visible, and little attention to their construction has been given to them from a planning perspective, they haven't tended to intrude into remoter landscapes. This has abruptly changed with governmental commitment to extending mobile phone coverage across almost all of Scotland: this includes areas with no, or almost no, human habitation. Because it is national policy, it is hard to object on the principle, although it really is questionable why so much money is being spent on areas where the need for having coverage is debatable. In addition, assessment of applications is problematic as NEMT doesn't have the technical expertise to evaluate whether the proposed siting of a particular mast will, or will not, provide the best coverage. The masts are 25m high and of a lattice design. NEMT is prepared to challenge some of these, particularly where applicants fail to provide adequate information about the tracks. A particular offender in this regard is a company called Cornerstone which clearly does not understand the landscape implications of masts or good practice regarding the construction of tracks (their applications do not even refer to NatureScot's guidance on hill tracks!).
Cornerstone, proposed mast at Stronetoper, Glenfeshie (trees shown 10m high) from wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applicationDetails
NEMT has commented on, or objected to, applications for six masts: at Melgarve at the south end of the Corrieyairack; on a hill at the north end of Glen Feshie; on a hill at Glenshero; on a hill north of Kinloch Laggan; on the north side of Forest of birse; at the east end of Glen Gairn.
We understand that a particularly large number of masts will be needed in the western Highlands due to the 'lumpy' nature of the of the terrain: an alarming thought. On the brighter side, it is in the interest of the companies involved to keep masts as close to existing roads and tracks as possible.
Readers of Mountain Views will be tired of hearing that the review into Permitted Development and hill tracks remains buried in the long grass; rest assured, we are tired of writing about it!
The Scottish Government has been reviewing, on a phased basis, a wide range of activities which come under Permitted Development and originally stated that tracks would come in the first phase of this exercise (2019-20); unsurprisingly everything was postponed because of Covid. It was then anticipated that tracks would be included in the Phase 3 tranche and this was confirmed by the Minister in the Parliament. The Phase 3 consultation has just been announced and tracks are nowhere to be seen. Scottish Environment LINK wrote immediately to the Scottish Government's Chief Planner who has responded saying that they will get round to tracks at some point. The gist of her response is that issues related to the cost of living crisis and climate change must take priority: that's fair enough but an unwillingness to commit to a timescale is not. LINK has arranged a meeting with her to discuss the situation. NEMT supports LINK's position that tracks should require full planning permission and is ready to campaign when the consultation finally sees the light of day.
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