Controversial plans to develop a golf course on a site of scientific interest have been called in by the Scottish Government.
The application for Coul Links at Embo in Dornoch was granted permission by Highland Council in June.
A coalition of environmental groups including National Trust for Scotland, Plantlife, RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust are opposed to the development, saying the coastline involved is an important habitat for rare and endangered plants and birds.
The application will now be reviewed by Scottish ministers.
Fantastic news! @ScotGov has announced that Coul Links has been called in for further investigation. Thank you to everyone who has shared their concerns. #SaveCoulLinks pic.twitter.com/dB2JCgrwjM
— Scottish Wildlife Trust (@ScotWildlife) August 24, 2018
Planning minister Kevin Stewart said: “As planning minister, I have called in the application as the proposal raises issues of national importance in relation to natural heritage issues and its compliance with Scottish planning policy and requires further scrutiny.
“It is right that the decision is taken at the national level.
“As this is a live application, ministers cannot comment on the specific merits of the proposal.
“An independent reporter will now consider all the evidence relating to this case and provide a recommendation to ministers who will make the final decision.”
Some excellent Friday news! Welcome decision by Scottish Ministers to allow detailed scrutiny of Coul Links proposals. Only right that such a significant decision is decided at national level. Thank you to everyone who made your voice heard https://t.co/ULseupLuOG #SaveCoulLinks pic.twitter.com/5yWziTaI0a
— RSPB Scotland (@RSPBScotland) August 24, 2018
The plans would see an 18-hole golf course, a clubhouse, a pro shop, caddy hut, workshop, administration building and information booth constructed on the site of specific scientific interest.
Local authority officials had recommended councillors refuse planning permission, saying the proposed development would have a detrimental impact on the site and result in permanent loss of sand dune habitat.
We are grateful for the overwhelming support of the local community who have embraced our vision: https://t.co/VqpMslE9fi pic.twitter.com/4aGPgWKvBu
— Coul Links (@CoulLinksGolf) August 23, 2018
Coul Links Ltd has refuted concerns over the environmental impact.
Jonny Hughes, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “This is one of the most important planning decisions to have affected Scotland in recent years so it is only right that it is considered by the Scottish Government.
“Nearly 13,000 members of the public wrote to MSPs asking them to take a closer look at this vitally important case, and we are heartened that these plans will now be given closer scrutiny.
“We urge Scottish ministers to maintain their commitment to the long-term protection of fragile and internationally rare habitats by ensuring that these wholly inappropriate plans are not allowed to go ahead.”
Developer Todd Warnock said: “Whilst this decision delays bringing significant economic and environmental benefits to the area, we welcome the opportunity to set out again the compelling case to create a world-class golf course in east Sutherland.
“Highland Council’s north planning applications committee, as the competent planning authority, took an emphatic decision in June and apart from a single narrow objection from Scottish Natural Heritage, the statutory bodies involved are not opposed to the plans after a comprehensive assessment.
“The project also has overwhelming support from local people. We thank them again for their help and encouragement and are sorry for them that there is a further delay in a process that has already taken more than three years.
“We have made our case consistently to anyone prepared to listen objectively and we look forward to doing so again with the independent reporter.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel