Braan Hydro Scheme Approved by P&K

For the Greens, MSP Mark Ruskell, the Party's spokesman on environmental issues, said: "I'm pleased that such a carefully constructed proposal as the Braan Hydro has won approval from the Council. This is ultimately a small contribution to renewable energy targets but is a step in the right direction.

"I hope that the revised canoeing access arrangements offered by nPower will stand, allowing the spectacle and challenge of the Braan to continue to be enjoyed by all."

Objections

The approval of the scheme was made by the Development Control Committee in the face of a recommendation against it by the council's Head of Development Standards. His Economic Development Unit had concluded, in consultation with 'visitscotland' and others who generate the P&K Tourism Strategy, that approval would be detrimental to the adventure tourism business in Perthshire.

This tourism type is calculated to be an unique selling point for the area, is presently worth £469 million to the local economy and accounts for 13.5% of all employment.

The Dunkeld and Birnam Tourist Association, backed by over 50 of its members, had objected to the proposal as had the National Trust as an interested landowner that would be neighbours to the scheme at the Hermitage, on which a negative impact was feared on the grounds of visual impact and intereference with the river flow.