A contentious hydro power scheme in one of Scotland’s most protected natural sites has cleared a major hurdle.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) is understood to have granted a licence for the run-off water energy project in the heart of the Den of Airlie nature reserve.
The reserve is home to vulnerable flora and fauna, including internationally-protected river jelly lichen in the River Isla, and campaigners claim the project could do irreparable damage.
Airlie Castle Estate and the John Hogg Group spent four years developing plans for the scheme in the heart of the site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and have promised a sensitive development.
The developers say money from the scheme will be pumped back into the Den of Airlie to protect the stunning landscape but a campaigner who has led a petition against the plan claims the project will bring no more benefit than a single wind turbine and at huge risk.
Stewart Roberts argues that insufficient information has been put forward about the potential impact on the landscape into which the hydro pipe will be drilled.
He fears the ancient rock of the Highland fault line could collapse under the works.
Angus Council’s development standards committee will have the final say next week on whether the 200-metre abstraction channel at Slug of Auchrannie can go ahead.
Concerns were previously raised by Sepa, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the British Lichen Society but it is understood no consultees now object, as a reuslt of amendments to the plan.
The estate is owned by David, Lord Ogilvy, and his estate manager, Malcolm Taylor, said: “We see this as an amazing opportunity. The water of the River Isla is of excellent quality and will not be damaged in any way no one will ever see the pipe.
“One of the reasons we chose the site is that it’s a very short take and there’s no fishing interest.
“We accept it’s in the middle of a SSSI but we believe we can do it in such a way that it won’t damage the site.
“Some of the money produced will go back to the Den of Airlie, the wider SSSI, which is one of the most important in the country.
“David, Lord Ogilvy is passionately interested in Airlie Castle and its environment, and the more we can do for it the better. The money is not to be squandered.”
The Isla feeds in to the River Tay Special Area of Conservation, and its status required the John Hogg Group to complete an environmental impact assessment.
Aberdeenshire Council’s archaeology service has advised that a “watching brief” condition should be imposed during any ground breaking.
A cascading series of mini waterfalls, the Slug of Auchrannie is considered an area of high natural beauty, with wooded ravines and interesting geological formations.
Located just to the northwest of Airlie Castle and to the south of West Campsie Farm, the Slug is visited less often than Reekie Linn, 2km upstream, as there is no car park or picnic area but walkers regularly go hiking there along a public access path.
A weir would be built across the Big Slug waterfall, which campaigners feel would reduce it.
Physiotherapist Debbie Roberts and her husband Stewart started a petition to Save the Slug which was signed by 100 people.
Mr Roberts said: “Scotland is already well on track to meet its renewables targets, particularly with the recent approval of offshore windfarms, so there’s no real need to harm an area that is so special for the equivalent of one wind turbine,” he said.
A number of individual objections have also been submitted to Angus Council.
They concentrate on the potential danger to one of the last “wild” areas in Angus and, in particular, the possible damage to rare and vulnerable species of flora and fauna.