GOLF COURSE PLANNING APPLICATIONS by COUL LINKS Ltd on and adjacent to Loch Fleet SSSI, SPA & Ramsar international wetland
This issue involves the potential destruction of the nature reserve at Loch Fleet. This is a particularly important and ecologically sensitive botanical site for rare Scottish native plants including several species of orchids. Ian Christie and Mike Dale have each lead botanical trips to this site over the last couple of years and have found new plants not previously reported, for example the unusual Moonwort. In addition to our interest in the type of plants, the site is also the home of nesting Ospreys and to several rare butterfly species.
Ian Christie has written several times (here in the forum, for the IRG and for the SRGC 's printed journal) about the area which is a very rich habitat.
I am sure many of you will agree that any development in the area would be devastating to the reserve.
Unfortunately, time is short to object to the proposal - but you can write, before 17th November, and also sign the petition.
More info:
From the RSPB: " Coul Links golf course proposals could be more environmentally damaging than the Trump Menie course
http://bit.ly/2iyGkT4 #SaveCoulLinks "
https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/sutherland-golf-course-proposals-more-environmentally-damaging-than-trumps-aberdeenshire-course-warn-conservationists/From Andrew Weston the petition starter....
Dear Friends of Coul Links
GOLF COURSE PLANNING APPLICATIONS by COUL LINKS Ltd on Loch Fleet SSSI, SPA & Ramsar international wetland
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/conserve-coul-links-for-nature-not-golf-1Please note that the petition is now linked to the NOT COUL opposition group, of which I am a member, via the petition’s Campaign Website link or icon next to it. The website is presently being redesigned and updated which should inform anyone who wishes to object to the planning applications (plural).
You will also notice that there are important Updates on the petition concerning the planning applications and its Environmental Statement. There are TWO planning applications, one for the golf course and another separate application for a reservoir with boreholes, now lodged with Highland Council. NOT COUL, particularly its expert dune ecologist, has been assessing the lengthy golf course Environmental Statement before issuing its responses on its website.
The parallels with Trump Golf are becoming clearer the more we delve into the planning application, which justifies the longer petition title (which also gets more hits because of his popularity with search engines). The chief differences between the two are presentation style and Trump's usual preference for adapting existing golf courses (Menie being one exception) while Keiser (Bandon Dunes Golf Resort) prefers a blank canvas on pristine dunes.
There are hyperlinks and instructions provided on the latest petition Updates to assist with planning comments [objections]. For online Comments, these are limited to 5,000 characters and there is a total (time-out) of 10 minutes to enter them. It is recommended to write them first in a Word document, check them, visit the website, register with a password, and then copy and paste comments into the form. There is no restriction on the number of words used in paper comments sent to the postal address provided:
The Head of Planning and Building Standards
ePlanning Centre
The Highland Council
Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NX
The DEADLINE for objecting to the GOLF COURSE is 17 November 2017 but the deadline for the earlier application, which concerns a golf course irrigation RESERVOIR with BOREHOLES, is unclear, but the sooner people object to the latter the better. The earliest advertisement I can find for it is in The Northern Times on 20 October. Although this separate application is for a construction outside the SSSI, it is vitally important that it is objected to, as it would control the water supply to the dunes and their protected wetlands. Its separation from the golf course application appears highly questionable.
There are already objections to the reservoir lodged on the Highland Council Planning website by conservation charities (Scottish Wildlife Trust and Buglife and RSPB) and the Not Coul opposition group. The more scientifically and technically minded may wish to base their objections on the content of those detailed models but without quoting them verbatim. However, shorter and simpler objections should be adequate for the majority.
I would also like to draw your attention to the BUGLIFE petition to save Fonseca’s seed-fly, thought to be an endemic and extremely localised species, dependent on sand dunes, so vulnerable to extinction. It is present at Coul Links and only known globally from a small number of neighbouring dunes in Sutherland. It is perhaps the most important invertebrate known on the site, which also supports several other specialised, rare, scarce, local and vulnerable insect species, including butterflies.
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-fonesca-s-seed-flyThank you again.
Andrew Weston.
