Controversial plans for a fish farm on Loch Long were rejected today.
The Loch Long Salmon Company’s plan for Beinn Reithe near Arrochar would have been the first in the UK to use a semi-closed containment system.
The company said the system greatly reduced the environmental impact of salmon farms and it had plans for a further four sites on the west coast, each creating at least 12 full-time equivalent jobs and contributing £100,000 to local community causes.
But Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority planners said in a report to today’s meeting that the development would ‘have an industrial appearance in an area of undeveloped coastline’.
And after visiting the site members of the authority’s board agreed, rejecting the proposals in a meeting in the Three Villages Hall.
The officials’ recommendation was agreed by 10 votes to one, with only Cowal Liberal Democrat Councillor William Sinclair disagreeing with it.
He is one of three Argyll and Bute Councillors on the national park board, but Lomond North Councillors Iain S Paterson (SNP) and Maurice Corry (Conservative) submitted apologies.
Park authority convenor James Stuart said after the four-hour meeting: “This decision was taken following careful consideration by the board of the planning assessment report, together with responses from statutory bodies and community members, and representations from speakers both in support of and in objection to the proposal at a thorough public hearing in Arrochar today.
“This application is for development within a national park and it is our view that such a nationally important landscape is not the appropriate location to host development of such an industrial scale and where the risk of an escape of farmed fish could impact on designated water courses.
“The semi-closed containment systems proposed – whilst noted as a substantial step forward for the industry -have not yet been trialled in Scotland and there is not a sound body of evidence on which to base decision making.
“There is a clear risk that the technology may not be sufficiently successful and the location of the application site in Loch Long – with connectivity to the Endrick Water Special Area of Conservation and its fragile population of Atlantic salmon – means that the impacts associated with a potential escape of farmed fish is a significant concern.
“The proposed development also presents a number of significant landscape, seascape and visual issues. It would have an industrial character and would notably contrast with the largely undeveloped and remote character of the local landscape.
“The National Marine Plan, the Local Development Plan, our National Park Partnership Plan and Scottish planning policy all require the special landscape qualities and landscape character types of the national park to be conserved and enhanced. This is also the founding aim of the national park to which greatest weight is given in any planning decision.”
Addressing the meeting on behalf of the applicants, managing director Stewart Hawthorn said: “I have worked in salmon farming for more than 30 years. Over that time the industry has evolved, but now it must transform. The national park can play a key role by supporting this project.
“There is support from the local community, a cross-party group of councillors, and the local MP. The Scottish Government has described it as being of national significance to Scotland.
“This game-changing project is in complete alignment with the park’s plan that calls for the park to have partnerships beyond its borders.
“It demonstrates that salmon can be farmed while protecting fish and other wildlife. There are no ecological grounds to refuse this application.”
Other supporters who spoke at the meeting included Ronald Ross, the chair of Arrochar Community Council, Cowal SNP Councillor Gordon Blair and former councillor George Freeman.
Roger Brook, of the Argyll and District Fishery Board, was the first objector who spoke, saying: “We have done an awful lot on the River Goil to try to enhance it for the salmon population. Only about 20 salmon come into the river.
“All of the work we have funded and done can be destroyed by escapes coming from this farm.”
John Piper, who also objected, added: “The Environmental Impact Assessment found no evidence of creatures that we know live here with us.
“The developers have refused to show the view from the A814. We regularly use the road and know with certainty it [the proposed farm] will be clearly visible [from there].”
There were over 200 objections and more than 70 comments in support – the plan has split MSPs from the SNP and Conservatives, who support it, from Green party MSPs, who have objected.
SNP MSP Jenny Minto, who represents the neighbouring Argyll and Bute constituency, submitted a comment in favour and her fellow SNP MSP Angus Robertson wrote a letter of support, as did Argyll & Bute MP Brendan O’Hara and Conservatives Pam Gosal and Donald Cameron.
But Greens Ross Greer and Ariane Burgess called for the plan to be rejected.
Arrochar and Tarbet Community Council was in favour, while Ardentinny and Cove & Kilcreggan community councils objected.
The planners report said the site was recorded on the Ancient Woodland Inventory as ancient semi-natural woodland and on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland as a plantation on ancient woodland site
It adds: “The development would not safeguard visual amenity and important views and would not protect or enhance the rich landscape character of the national park.
“The development would adversely impact the special landscape qualities for which the national park has been designated.
“The technology proposed has not been trialled in Scotland and there are inherent risks from an escape incident to wild salmon populations which are already fragile.”
The plan included:
- Shorebase building and storage areas; oxygen storage vessels; feed silos; water treatment plant; mortality handling station/ensilage; a slipway; a pontoon; grid connection and generators; and a car park and HGV turning area.
- Four circular marine enclosures and one square harvesting facility and pipes bundled together providing power and oxygen and removing waste and transferring data. Each marine enclosure would have a float collar which would house control cabinets, pipes, splashboard, access platforms and would include a walkway with handrail. Bird nets supported by poles would extend above the float collar.
- Road upgrades including widening and the installation of additional passing places. A new section of access track is proposed.
A separate planning application has also been made to Argyll and Bute Council – the reference number for that is 21/02455/MFF and details are available on the council’s website.
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