Opposition to Glen Lyon Hydro Scheme

Other objectors to the scheme, which is just one of seven proposed hydro schemes on burns in Glen Lyon, include the Scottish Ramblers, the Scottish Canoe Association and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCS). The Perth Green Party has also lately added its support (see page 30).

‘Devastating Impact’
ICA campaign spokesperson Fiona Grant, said: “We support a sensitively sited hydro scheme being built on the Invervar burn, but this proposal will have a devastating impact on the community.
“We have raised these concerns with our local MSP John Swinney about our homes being bombarded with noise and the private water supply from the burn drying up.”
Residents want the scheme, recently lodged by Shawater Ltd with the Scottish Executive for planning permission, to be modified in order to minimise the impact on the village, tourism and the local environment. The main concerns are:

Noise pollution
It is the policy of responsible hydro companies, the ICA maintains, to site power stations at least 100 metres away from residences because of the problem of noise pollution.
88% of the permanent residents of Invervar live within 100 metres of the proposed site of the power station and the four Housing Association properties lie within fifty meters.
The ICA believes that the near-constant background hum from this development will shatter the tranquility of the quiet rural village.

Water Supply
The Invervar burn is the source of fresh water for seven of the properties in the village. The planning application makes no mention of how this supply will be maintained once the scheme has drastically reduced the flow of water down the burn.

Tourism
The environmental report for the proposed hydro scheme states that “canoeing does not take place on the Invervar burn.” In fact the Invervar burn is listed as grade 4/5 canoeing river in the Scottish Whitewater Guidebook and is referred to as an excellent canoeing river on canoe club websites across the UK.
Invervar is also the main access point for hundreds of visitors who come to walk Carn Gorm, Meall Garbh, Creag Mhor and Carn Mairg in Glen Lyon every year. The ICA is seeking reassurances about the access route onto these Munros, which may be severely disrupted by this development.
It is concerned that this scheme will deter these visitors to Glen Lyon and damage tourism in an already fragile local economy.

Salmon
The Tay river system is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) because of its vulnerable wild salmon population. The current proposal includes around 150 meters of salmon pools in the lower reaches of the Invervar burn, crucial spawning grounds for the Tay.
If allowed to go ahead in its current location, the ICA argues, then the scheme may well damage these salmon breeding sites and add further pressure to the salmon population in the Tay river system.

Campaign Website
“This is an ill conceived scheme that rides roughshod over local concerns,” added Fiona Grant. “If allowed to go though unmodified it risks giving hydro power a bad name.”
Greens’ Objections
Concerns raised by the ICA have been supported by the Green Party in Perth which claims that there are serious flaws in the Environmental Statement which has been submitted in support of the planning application.
Amongst a number of concerns about these deficiencies the Greens highlight the failure to properly assess the potential adverse impact on salmon populations in the Invervar burn and river Lyon, due to water flow reductions in the lower reaches of the burn.
The Greens reckon these reductions would be a consequence of the ‘ill-judged decision to site the powerhouse in the village some distance away from the burn’.
Andrew Thompson, Vice Convener of Perth Green Party said: “We are fully supportive of the development of well designed, environmentally sensitive, and socially responsible hydro schemes on burns and rivers, as these can make a significant contribution to renewable energy supplies.
“However, it is clear to me that the plans submitted for the Invervar burn satisfy none of these tests.

Quart from a Pint Pot
“It is a shame that the developers’ desire to squeeze a quart out of a pint pot in terms of the potential of the Invervar burn to generate sustainable renewable energy is incompatible with the needs of the local community and has resulted in unnecessary tensions,” the Vice Convenor continued.
“I believe that there is potential for a less aggressive scheme on the Invervar burn, which would satisfy all interests and can still make a valuable addition to renewable energy supplies, and a significant contribution to the economy of the local estate.
“I very much hope that common sense will prevail and that the environmental protection legislation will result in SNH and SEPA recommending to Ministers that the scheme currently proposed should not get approval”

Objections Lodged
The ICA lodged over 200 objections to the scheme with the Scottish Executive and the Perth and Kinross Council. Most of those who objected are locals or regular visitors to Invervar, a hugely popular setting off point for tourists walking the surrounding hills.Objections came from individuals in a total of 12 different countries, including the USA, Norway and Namibia.
Organisations objecting to this scheme include The Scottish Green Party, The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, The Scottish Ramblers, the Tay Salmon Fisheries Board, the Scottish Canoe Association and the Perth Housing Association.
“We are hopeful that planners will take into account the amount of opposition to this scheme and make sure it is changed to minimise the damage to our village, the environment and tourism to the area,” concluded the spokesperson for the ICA Ashley Dudley-Smith.