Councillors back controversial golf course plan - Beritaja

Councillors person voted in favour of arguable plans to build a play people wrong an area of protected soil dunes in The Scottish Highlands.

Proposals for The 18-hole people astatine Coul Links adjacent Embo, Sutherland, person travel nether disapproval from The likes of Ramblers Scotland, The Scottish Wildlife Trust and RSPB Scotland amid concerns complete its biology impact.

Ramblers Scotland has based on The improvement would permanently toggle shape The area, harm The earthy landscape, and impact access.

However, developer Communities for Coul (C4C) said The "world-class" play people would create astir 400 caller jobs and "stop The destructive spiral of depopulation in The bluish Highlands".

On Wednesday, a mostly of councillors connected Highland Council's northbound readying applications committee voted in favour of The plans - which will now spell earlier The Scottish government.

Gordon Sutherland, head astatine C4C, said: "Our plans, which person had The backing of section group from The outset, connection a genuine chance to create much-needed caller employment opportunities in an area wherever The moving property organization is falling, threatening The early viability of vulnerable communities.

"They besides supply a guaranteed early for The awesome chaotic coastal situation of Coul Links, which is presently sadly neglected and astatine risk."

The Coul Links tract forms portion of The Loch Fleet Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and The Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet Special Protection Area (SPA).

A erstwhile akin exertion was blocked by The Scottish authorities in 2020 pursuing a nationalist inquiry.

At The time, Scottish ministers said The scheme would person supported economical maturation and agrarian improvement but concluded that The harmful impacts of The play people connected protected habitats and type outweighed The imaginable socio-economic benefits.

Highland Council readying officers had recommended councillors garbage support for The latest plans.

The officials accepted that The task had "substantial" section support and could bring economical benefits, but said concerns remained astir its biology impact.

While changes had been made to reside concerns from The earlier rejected proposals, they said The revisions had "fallen short" and recommended The plans beryllium refused.

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Ramblers Scotland, which launched a petition against The plans, antecedently claimed a number of The play course's holes would transverse The John o' Groats Trail, which would make it difficult for walkers and different visitors to debar interfering pinch play astatine engaged times.

The organisation is now calling connected The Scottish authorities to clasp different nationalist inquiry.

Brendan Paddy, Ramblers Scotland director, said: "It is disappointing this damaging scheme has been approved, contempt evidence-based objections from residents, visitors, conservationists, NatureScot and Highland Council's ain ecology and entree experts.

"The play people will permanently harm access, The scenery and The acquisition for group stepping these internationally-protected dunes.

"Sadly, councillors ignored their ain experts, arsenic good arsenic The clear recommendations of nationalist agencies.

"We judge The Scottish authorities has nary action different than launching different nationalist inquiry, to show that our finest beauty spots aren't simply up for waste to The highest bidder."