Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess has criticised the Highland Council North Planning Committee’s decision to grant planning consent to a golf course on Coul Links.
The development, which Ms Burgess has branded “totally inappropriate” would have a devastating impact on the local environment and biodiversity.
Ms Burgess said:
“Coul Links is a spectacular site of environmental significance and has several important international environmental designations.Â
“The new National Planning Framework, brought in earlier this year following extensive consultation, emphasises environmental and biodiversity priorities.
“The conflict between these proposals and those policies was made clear by local planning officers, who recommended refusal of the plans.
“This is the second time a plan for a totally inappropriate golf development on this land has been brought forward; the second time local communities and environmental groups have had to fight against multi-millionaire developers and the second time that the application will need to be reconsidered by Government Ministers.
“Local residents value and cherish this special and unique landscape, and it’s deeply disappointing that councillors on the panel opted to ignore those concerns as well as those raised by environmental groups on behalf of the voiceless wildlife that depends on this rare and precious habitat.
“I will be calling on the Minister to reconsider this decision and to uphold Scotland’s planning policies and the wishes of the local community.”
