ULLAPOOL – SCOTLAND

If you are reading this the chances are you have shown an interest in the building plots at Altnaharrie which have been for sale for many years.  We – the sole residents at Altnaharrie – wish to place our views on record and clarify certain important issues that are not being honestly  presented to prospective purchasers by the vendors or their agents, none of whom it appears can  be trusted.  The intention of this document is to provide complete and transparent disclosure of the facts regarding a number of serious issues with the proposed development.  These include;

Legal access and disputed boundaries – Restrictive conservation agreement(s) preventing new building – Unachievable conditions of planning consent (micro-hydro scheme) – Impossible to deliver electrical energy supply – Extreme cost and complexity of building – Cost and difficulty of required track upgrade (building regulations) – Withholding of legal consent from neighbouring landowners – Vital ecological considerations – Hostility from neighbours and the local community.

If having read this document you still decide to progress further I highly recommend that you use your legal and professional advisors to undertake comprehensive due diligence.  The contents of this document will give you a clear pointer as to what questions to ask and what rocks to overturn.  

You will be told that there are three house plots available for sale at Altnaharrie – all with extant planning permission granted.  This is the first of many lies you will hear from the vendors (supported by their agents).  The truth is the Highland Council have granted valid planning permission for only one house with a further two houses permitted only after a micro-hydro scheme is first built.  Due to a number of insurmountable issues the micro-hydro scheme is impossible to build – as you will see further on in this document – making the claimed houses two and three a simple lie.  The vendors know this when they claim they have three plots for sale.  The reason for this deception is that they are asking £450,000 for the land which, with property tax (LBTT at 10%) and legal fees, works out at more than £500,000 – for one building plot !

In order to test the truthfulness of what is being said by the vendors and their agents you should immediately do the following.  Go to: www.eplanning@highland.gov.uk  and search the Planning Permissions section for:  Planning Ref. 13/02849/FUL.  In the list of documents find: ‘Decision Notice’.  Read this document carefully but pay particular attention to Condition No. 5.  In which you will find that only one house can be built prior to the completion of the micro-hydro scheme.  Then ring the agents or the vendor and ask them if the micro-hydro scheme is to be sited on the land they have for sale.  The answer will be no – it is sited entirely on land belonging to the Dundonnell Estate with access over land belonging to the Altnaharrie Inn.  Then ask to see written consent from the Dundonnell Estate and or the Altnaharrie Inn for permission to site the micro-hydro scheme on their land (which is where the planning permission says it will be sited).  You should be told the truth and that is, there is no permission or consent from either party – and never will be.  You could also ask whether or not there is an alternative water course on the land for sale where the micro-hydro scheme could be built.  Again, the answer will be no.  Once you have got to the bottom of this load of bull**** you will know that you have or are being lied to.  It could be worth finding this out before going any further and discovering more disingenuous pieces of information.  Just in case you are still not being told the truth a read through this document will alert you to the key issues that make building houses at Altnaharrie an impossibility.  I urge you to read it before you start to generate expenses from solicitors and surveyors.

The truth is that even if you have your name on the Deeds of a place like Altnaharrie – you never really own it – to be here is a privilege – you are only ever the temporary guardian – with a clear obligation to look after it and leave it in a better condition than when you found it.  What you do not do is exploit it for profit by selling off chunks for housing development and in doing so – destroy the essence of what makes Altnaharrie so special.  No one who has genuinely lived here and loved Altnaharrie could ever contemplate building new houses on this ground.  To protect Altnaharrie we will do everything we can to prevent this from ever happening.

By rights this building plot(s) should not exist at all.  The land involved is an historic and extremely sensitive site of important marine foreshore moorland wilderness encompassing a rare remnant of Caledonian forest and a resident otter population that has been here for more than 20 years – to our knowledge but has probably been here for hundreds of years.  There are  numerous other significant species such as; golden eagles, white tailed sea eagles, herons,  pine martins, mountain hares and pipistrel bats.  The area is subject to various conservation  protection orders including; Scottish National Trust Conservation Area, Marine Protected Area (MPA) [The Scottish MPA network includes sites for nature conservation, protection of biodiversity, demonstrating sustainable management and protecting our heritage], UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, designated Ancient Woodland and Scottish Natural Heritage / NatureScot site of ecological importance, Historic Marine Protected Area (HMPA) – NWS North West Sea lochs and Summer Isles.  Most significantly this the area is outwith the Wester Ross Development plan, which should exclude residential developments under any circumstances.

The Scottish National Trust (SNT) Conservation Agreement is particularly relevant and important.  Under the terms of the Agreement, signed by the SNT and the Dundonnell Estate in 1974, new house building is specifically forbidden without the formal consent of the SNT.  This Agreement supersedes the planning consent from the Highland Council.  The vendors have neither sought nor received such consent from the SNT for these houses to be built.  This is because they are well aware that consent will not be granted due to environmental concerns.

The original planning consent was ‘smuggled’ through the Highland Council planning system in 2000 under delegated powers(basically a ‘friendly’ nod and a wink).  Since the outset, this planning application has allegedly been tainted by misrepresentation, omissions, outright lies and the falsification of at least two important legal documents.  The whole process from 2000 to 2014 hasallegedly been influenced by nepotism, bias and the collusion of at least two council officials.  I shall not go into further detail in this document as this whole process will be the subject of a Judicial Review which if successful will see the  planning consent at Altnaharrie overturned and rescinded.   

The importance of this sensitive and protected environment at Altnaharrie cannot be over emphasised.  Within a month or two of us arriving here in 2003 we spotted the otters which we quickly realised were frequent visitors and probably resident in the bay, the surrounding foreshore  and adjacent land habitat.  It became apparent that there was a well-established population of European Otters at Altnaharrie.  We had seen at least four adults which were clearly settled and they had probably been here for a number of generations.  At certain times of the year otter whelps (pups) were seen swimming with their parents suggesting that the population was a successful breeding group, extending over all the land surrounding the bay and further up the gorge of the Altnaharrie burn towards the loch at the top of the hill.  

We were not informed of the presence of otters when we bought the Inn and it turns out that neither were the Planning Authority when planning permission was sought in 2000, despite the fact that the otter population inhabited all of the land proposed for development.  Had Planning Authority been informed of the presence of otters – as is required by law – the application could not have progressed under delegated powers and would almost certainly have failed at the first hurdle – otters being a protected species of major importance in the UK.  It was only when the planning application was extended to three houses and a micro-hydro scheme in 2005 that we had the opportunity to bring the existence of the otter population to the attention of the Planning Authority.  As a result, an otter survey was ordered which confirmed that there was extensive otter habitation within the marine foreshore, land designated for development, the Altnaharrie gorge and burn with a number of holts and couches located within metres of the proposed house sites.  Shockingly, despite this finding, the Planning Authority ‘helpfully’ for the applicants decided to progress the application subject to license from Scottish National Heritage.

Otters are fully protected under the EC Habitats Directive and Conservation (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1994.  The legislation specifies a number of offences which include deliberately or recklessly capture, kill, injure or disturb otters, or to damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place for otters.  It is also an offence to disturb an otter in a manner that is, or in circumstances which are, likely to significantly affect the local distribution or abundance of the species or to impair its ability to survive, breed or reproduce, or rear or otherwise care for its young.  Note:  Otters are listed as a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) (JNCC, 1994) and the Wester Ross Local Biodiversity Action Plan.  They are also listed on the Scottish Biodiversity List as a species of importance for the purpose of conservation of biodiversity in Scotland.  Otters are also protected under European legislation (High Conservation Status and National Biodiversity Status).

Now that this important otter population has been identified and recorded it is difficult to see how it would be possible to build houses within metres of their holts, on the land where they hunt, breed, rear their young and live without disturbing them and contravening at least one of the elements of the current legislation.  Who would possibly risk destroying their habitat or causing the otters to leave and find new ground?  We will constantly monitor the population and if anything changes we will trigger a prosecution under the legislation that currently protects otters.  Scottish National Heritage (SNH) have now stipulated that under Habitats Regulations, prior to any building commencing, a ‘License to Disturb Otters’ has to be in place, without which an offence will have been committed.  Under the circumstances it is difficult to believe that a license could possibly be granted. 

We will do everything we can to protect Altnaharrie and the resident wildlife that live here from all those who wish to exploit it for profit by building inappropriate and unwarranted houses.  As the only residents in the only house at Altnaharrie – we have just one objective and that is to protect this priceless piece of wilderness environment and conserve the nature and history of this unique place.   Any prospective developers should be aware that we will fight to the end to save Altnaharrie and its wildlife from this insane act of destruction. 

This proposed development is naked exploitative shameless greed at its worst.  The rape of the Scottish countryside for the sole purpose of making money regardless of its impact on the local wildlife and the environment.  There is no benefit to anyone other than the vendors, developers and their bankers / investors.  It is difficult to conceive how any rational person can fall so far below the normally accepted levels of social and environmental awareness, as to ruthlessly exploit the natural world by selling this land or being the buyer of what is a priceless resource and home to many rare and protected species.  Somewhere like Altnaharrie should not be for trade or personal gain in the most disgusting way imaginable.  If this goes ahead, both parties (those who sell and those who buy the land) will be equally responsible for the ultimate act of rapacious, money grabbing, self-centred, mercenary greed.  Anyone getting involved in this appalling, opportunistic act of  reckless environmental vandalism should be ashamed of themselves and they should know that we will defend and protect Altnaharrie from the greed and ignorance of the vendors and developers until such time as this is stopped.  Above all else, anyone contemplating this process of desecration should seriously consider the potential penalties for building here and disturbing the otter population.  The penalties for which are severe.  We will be monitoring the situation at every step and if necessary we will initiate a private prosecution.

Having said that, I don’t believe that anyone will ever build here and that view is supported by the experience of numerous surveyors, architects and solicitors as well as their clients – the approximately 100 or so potential buyers who have had a look – evaluated the site – reviewed all the issues – and then decided not to proceed.  Fortunately, up until now everyone seems to understand that this is a totally inappropriate place to build new houses.  That innate sense of right and wrong is what will ultimately save Altnaharrie despite the efforts of those who would try to sell what should never be for sale.

History.  In 2003 we moved to the Altnaharrie Inn which up until 2000 had been a small, isolated hotel on the shores of Lochbroom in the north west Highlands of Scotland.  Steeped in history the Inn had been here for close to 300 years going back to the time that cattle drovers swam their cattle across the loch on the way to the markets in the south.  By the time we arrived the hotel had been closed for a number of years and when we moved in the Altnaharrie Inn became our ‘forever home’ where we hoped to spend the rest of our lives in peaceful seclusion – off the grid – with the nearest neighbours being some five miles distant.  The Inn could only be reached by boat or by traversing a one and a half mile long mountain track descending over 700 feet to the shore side.  Our idea of paradise.  However, the previous owners had retained some adjacent land when they left the Inn in 2003.  About two years later they broke the devastating news to us that they were going to sell the land as three building plots for which they had applied for extended planning consent without informing us.  This would be the first new houses here for 300 years and if completed would destroy the priceless environment and everything that made Altnaharrie such a wonderful place to live.

Ever since then – over the last sixteen years – we have fought to save our home, our resident otters and this unique and special slice of Scottish wilderness with its priceless ecosystem and unique history.  Due to our efforts and a range of very significant impediments to the planned development (which are detailed in this document) the vendors have so far failed to sell a single plot and no houses have been built.  As you read on you will appreciate that a combination of factors make building houses at Altnaharrie a near impossibility.  Apart from the ecological reasons they include; planning permission with unachievable conditions attached, legal issues over boundaries and access, lack of vital legal consents from neighbouring landowners, lack of any mains services (incl. electricity, water, sewage), severe  difficulties with the access track from the road to the site and ultimately the extreme cost and complexity of building in such a hostile, remote and inaccessible location – not to mention the profound resistance of the only existing residents who are supported in their efforts by all of the local community and the adjoining Dundonnell Estate.

This is not an exercise in nimbyism on our part.  We have an unflinching mission to protect this vital remnant of ancient habitat on the marine foreshore of Lochbroom.  Not just for our lifetime but for hundreds of years to come.  Someone has to plant a stake in the ground and call a halt to the proposed exploitation and destruction of Altnaharrie.

 In the second half of this document, I detail the practicalities, potential difficulties and legal issues that impact on this proposed development site.  Any potential purchaser would be wise to read this entire document very carefully as it contains vital information that the vendors will not freely provide. I have covered as many of the important issues as possible.  However, there are certain matters which are inappropriate for me to discuss in this forum, although they should become apparent during legal searches.

The vendors currently have more than seven acres at their disposal and despite our constant objections, planning permission has been granted for three houses and a micro-hydro scheme.  The Highland Council have refused to place a limiting cap on the scale of this development despite our repeated pleas.  It is clear from previous submissions made to the planners that the vendors have ambitions to create a new ‘community’ at Altnaharrie of indeterminate size.  It could well be more than ten houses on this small stretch of land if they achieve their goal.  Over the years some of the prospective buyers who have viewed the plots have expressed similar ambitions.  In just a few short years this could become just another ‘housing estate’.    

Our mission is now – and has always been – to conserve this unique place, its history and the flora and fauna that flourish here.  We wish to build on the existing conservation credentials with a protected mini conservation zone with an embargo on any future building of houses – preventing future development – where the wilderness is preserved and the native Scottish flora and fauna can thrive without the ruinous intrusion and destructive effects of building development.  The re-establishment of the forest and marine foreshore will among other benefits, help to ensure the survival of the otter population. 

Forest regeneration at Altnaharrie would include the planting of Scots pine, oak, birch, rowan, larch, juniper, ash, alder and aspen which would join the other species of the Caledonian forest.  Some of these species already grow here and we have already carried out extensive planting on our land.  All of this work improves the habitat and encourages the otters of which there are currently two family’s resident in and around the bay.  Living alongside them we have pine martens and the occasional red squirrel. 

The birdlife is extensive with numerous birds of prey and many unusual and rare water birds.  Amongst the raptors most notable are two families of white-tailed eagles (sea eagles), a golden eagle, buzzards and kestrels and many visiting smaller members of the genre who frequent the excellent fishing in the bay.  Altnaharrie is a significant winter staging site from migratory birds some of which over winter here in the calm warm waters of Lochbroom and in the wall of our home we have a colony of pipistrel bats.

The Building Plots.

The building plots have been for sale in one form or another since 2004.  Having spoken to many prospective purchasers over the years who come here to view the plots, it has become apparent that potential buyers are not being given the full story about the land at Altnaharrie.  The vendors appear to be trying to sell the land and let the buyer find out about the negative issues afterwards, which is dishonest to say the least and perhaps an act of deception.  The fact that no prospective buyer has gone through with a purchase in 16 years is proof that there are insurmountable problems with this land and building here.  It is just a shame that the vendors are not more honest and transparent about these issues at the outset as it would save a huge amount of money being spent on solicitors, architects and surveyors all of whom identify the problems very quickly. This text will provide the reader some insight into the serious impediments to this development and the realities of building and living here in this remote and inaccessible place.  It should be understood that the land here is totally off-grid without road access, grid electricity, water or sewage.

Currently the proposed development is for three, 4 & 5-bedroom properties with an estimated occupancy of an additional thirty people and up to nine or ten cars using the tiny unmade mile and a half long access track (figures from Highland Council).  This is a massive increase in the present population of two people and the number of vehicles using the only access route which is a very low-grade rough and narrow track (see later notes).  The very fact that there will be such a population increase destroys the very essence of what makes Altnaharrie so special and the vendors do not seem to understand that building so many houses acts as a deterrent to anyone who is genuinely looking for a remote home.  Why build a house is such a place only to have it overrun by more families and houses ? 

We have consistently and vigorously opposed this development over many years.  Meanwhile potential buyers are being told that new houses at Altnaharrie would be welcomed by all concerned on the totally false grounds that, with more houses the more sustainable the ‘community’ would become.  This is a complete fabrication by the vendors and their agents.  There is no ‘community’ here – just one house.  The idea of building a ‘community’ has only been concocted in an attempt to justify this development to a compliant Planning Authority.  The only current residents are totally opposed to any such building on any scale and this is significantly important as in the future any new house owners will have to access their property by crossing our land which is adjacent to the land currently for sale.  This will inevitably lead to a very difficult relationship !  

The idea of creating a ‘community’ is even more outrageous given the remote location and lack of services and facilities – no adequate access road, no transport, no schools, no shops, no mains electricity, no mains water, no sewage.  Everything that comes here must come by boat or be painstakingly carried by trailer towed by 4×4.  In the winter cut off by snow – sometimes for weeks, in the summer plagued by midges, ticks and cleggs.  Garden eaten by deer, torn up by cattle and sheep.  Storms anytime of the year destroy even the best built structures and bring down trees.  Floods that wash away the track and deposit tons of rock.  It is relentlessly difficult living here and it would be a fool who underestimates the challenge that confronts anyone inhabiting this place.

Although insect infestation is not technically an impediment to building and living here – it is impossible to ignore – given the presence of the Highland ‘midge’ and the remorseless ‘cleg’ (horse fly).  Midges are well known in the Highlands and when it comes to wilderness areas with mass vegetation, trees and grass the situation can become completely intolerable during the months of June, July, August and September when they are at their peak.  There is absolutely nothing that you can do about them except use repellent chemicals – none of which are totally effective – or simply stay indoors – for the summer.  Forget barbeques and pleasant evenings out in the garden.

The area of land for sale is alive with midges and also the ubiquitous ‘cleg’ which bites and draws blood.  The clegs come at the end of May early June and are usually gone by the end of July early August  – just over two months of hell.  The clegs are encouraged by the presence of sheep, cattle and deer of which there are numerous roaming around the site.  The last thing to mention is the ticks.  Ticks are numerous in this area and again they favour places that have cattle and in particular deer – on which they feed when they are not on you or your dog.  Ticks can be very dangerous carrying Lyme disease amongst other potential infections.  The reason why it is so bad in this area is the fact that the land is boggy and damp and there is masses of well-established vegetation which midges and ticks love – such as bracken, heather and birch trees.  All of this has been undisturbed for centuries and so the insect populations have had a chance to get well embedded.  It is doubtful that this could ever be reversed as none of the current technologies are effective in removing midges, clegs or ticks.

Most importantly, I wish to put an end to the lie suggesting that we would welcome new neighbours in new houses in order to make the ‘community’ more sustainable.  This is absolutely not true and everyone should be aware that any new development would cause untold problems and distress to us.  We do not need or want new neighbours so please – whatever you might have been told – do not expect a warm welcome if you come here intending to exploit this place which is our home.

BUILDING at ALTNAHARRIE

The following is an appraisal of some of the issues to be encountered by anyone attempting to develop the land to the east of the Altnaharrie Inn.  This discussion is based on the detail of the  Highland Council Planning Permission Ref: 13/02849/FUL dated: 6^th May 2014 (including a total of eleven Conditions), the Property Deeds and my personal experience having lived here for 18 years and built a renewable energy system largely dependent on micro-hydro generation.  I know from personal experience how complex and difficult it is to provide significant amounts of renewable energy up here in the west Highlands due to prevailing weather conditions and topology of the land. 

Building houses anywhere in the Highlands involves risks and difficulties not encountered by developers more accustomed to building on virgin plots with readily available access and services. 

When it comes to building houses at Altnaharrie it could be described as…

‘about as extreme as its gets’.

Contents

1. Electrical Energy Supply
2. The Access Track.
3. Legal Access and Boundaries.
4. The Site / Plots.
5. Building Supplies.
6. Water Supply.
7. Electrical Energy Supply.
8. Crossing the Burn.
9. Sewage Disposal.

1. Electrical Energy Supply.  The site is off-grid and has no mains supply of electricity.  The nearest grid power lines are three miles away although a new grid line is being built in 2023 between Ullapool and Altnaharrie landing to the north west of the Altnaharrie Inn.  This will not be accessible to the new house sites as a supply cable would have to cross Altnaharrie Inn land and that of the neighbouring Dundonnell Estate.  For obvious reasons neither party is prepared to provide suitable consents to allow the connection of grid electricity to the new sites.  This is an environmental protection decision as to provide a grid connection to the site would open the flood gates to development.  Given that there are seven acres at the disposal of the developers – they could build at least ten houses if grid electricity were available. 

The Highland Council planning consent 13/02849/FUL is wholly conditional on the provision of renewable energy to the houses.  The specified method of delivery is via a micro-hydro scheme as per Condition (5) of the planning permission.  50 kW of micro-hydro power has been specified by the designers although the requirement would increase to 60 – 70 kW with the incorporation of heat pumps within the design of the houses which is what the Council have now recommended.  The cost of the proposed scheme will be very significant with the average cost of installing micro hydro at £4,000 per kW giving an estimated cost of £250,000 to £300,000 for the dam, pipe work and hydro turbine and turbine house.  However, due to the difficult terrain the cost could be far higher.  This does not include the buried cabling from the turbine house to the three plots, or the inverters and batteries which are a very significant cost.  This equipment will be required at a further cost of approx. £70,000-£90,000. Giving a total cost of approx. £400,000. 

Discussions of micro-hydro schemes is hypothetical as neither of the land owners concerned will give permission or consent for the development to be built on their land.  The vendors do not have access to a water course on their land and had planned to build their micro-hydro scheme on land belonging to the Altnaharrie Inn and the Dundonnell Estate – without permission or consents.  Neither party will grant consents for this development under any circumstances.  Access to the mouth of the gorge for the purpose of building and servicing the equipment/turbine house can only be gained by crossing Altnaharrie Inn land.  No permission has been sought or granted in this respect.  Further, the Dundonnell Estate is not prepared to grant permission for siting any part of the micro-hydro scheme on their land, contrary to the impression given to potential plot buyers who are disingenuously told that ‘permission’ has been granted.  This is simply a lie as the only permission granted is the Council Planning Permission which is very different to landowners’ consent to site the micro-hydro scheme on their land.  The impression is given that having ‘Council Planning Permission’ somehow constitutes ‘consent’ from the landowners.  This is not true and is a separate legal matter entirely.  Interested parties should be advised that landowner’s consent will not be forthcoming under any circumstances.

Since the building of the micro-hydro scheme is a fundamental Condition (5) on which planning permission was granted, it is probable that without the micro-hydro scheme a new planning application will have to be made, which will be vigorously opposed by all parties and the local community.  In the absence of realistic viable alternative forms of renewable energy and a grid connection being out of the question it is difficult to see how any sustainable form of electrical power can be provided to the development.  Note:  Temporary diesel generator power can be used during the construction of the first house but renewables have to be in place and commissioned before any further development work can take place (Condition 5 of the planning consent).

At this time, no provision has been made in the planning consent for a generator house or diesel generator(s).  It should be noted that the Scottish government have joined with the UK government in its intention to ban all fossil fuel burning domestic appliances in a very short time frame – by 2024.  This would include all domestic heating appliances and diesel electric generators.  As of now the building regulations will not allow a new permanent diesel generator to be installed.  The Highland Council have specified heat pumps for domestic heating but they require a large amount of electricity which will also have to be generated via renewables.

The potential for solar power is very limited.  Between October and April (winter months) the sun is too low in the sky and never comes up above the horizon of the hills to the south of the proposed house sites.  During these months, zero solar energy is available.  Even in the summer months the efficiency of solar panels is limited by the shadow of the hills to the south of the site and the northerly latitude of the site not to mention Scotland’s inclement weather!

Wind power has not been attempted at Altnaharrie following a site assessment that showed that due to the topography wind power generation would be worthless and would certainly not generate sufficient power or justify the capital cost of installation.  Official estimation of mean wind speeds (NOABL Wind Map) on site are below 3 m/s.  This is far too low and combined with non-lamina disrupted airflow due to the proximity of the hills the site is considered totally unsuitable for the generation of wind power.  The following is an expert assessment on the potential for wind power generation at the proposed building site.

Dundonnell, Ross shire, IV23 2RE, Scotland                                                                VAT no.774681195 Phone 01854 633 286

Mobile 07713 157 600

e-mail: hugh@scoraigwind.co.uk

http://www.scoraigwind.co.uk                                                                          23 May, 2018

Nigel Middleton Altnaharrie Inn by Dundonnell

Dear Nigel,

Viability of Windpower at Altnaharrie

You have asked me to assess the potential for windpower generation at Altnaharrie. I have worked with small wind turbines for forty years and have authored books on the subject. I have taught courses on small wind turbines at the Centre for Alternative Technology. I am confident that I am qualified to advise you.

Wind energy is very site specific and without a properly conducted measurement program it is difficult to establish the potential with any accuracy. Energy varies with the cube of the wind speed, so a doubling of windspeed produces eight times as much power which means that there is a very dramatic variability between sites.

If we know the annual mean wind speed then we can use data from test reports to predict the annual energy production in kWh for a given site. Here for example is a table of predicted outputs for the R9000 turbine which is the most popular in the UK at present.

(taken from this data sheet http://www.sustainableenergysystems.co.uk/wp- content/uploads/2015/06/Britwind_R9000_spec.pdf)

In order to be viable we would normally expect that a site would have an annual mean windspeed of 5 m/s or greater. In the absence of measured data we tend to

                                                                   Scoraig Wind Electric p.2

refer to a computer model known as NOABL. This is prone to overestimate windspeeds as it does not take account of surface obstructions such as trees etc. Also it works with kilometre square blocks which cover very wide range of terrain in some cases.

Here are the NOABL predictions for 10m height above ground level in the area with a circle over Altnaharrie:

https://www.rensmart.com/Maps#NOABL

It would be foolish to imagine that the windspeed 4.8m/s extends down to sea level given that neighboring sea-level squares show 2.6-3.7m/s annual mean. Clearly the windspeed is skewed by the area of higher altitude terrain that dominates the square. I would therefore expect to find a measured annual mean windspeed around 3 m/s at your site. I would be very surprised if it exceeded 4m/s.

As mentioned before, there is no chance of making accurate predictions using this tool but we can say that there is a high likelihood that the site is “off the scale” in terms of the chart on the previous page and will produce a very meagre return on investment.

Most wind turbines are designed to work on good sites and will not perform well in low winds, which means that energy production on this site would be very intermittent, and therefore unsuitable for any off-grid supply that depends on batteries being recharged on a regular basis.

Yours truly,

    Hugh Piggot

Further, the damage to the visual amenity through the erection of wind turbines would illicit vigorous objections, not only from the existing residents but also many who live in Ullapool and the wider Lochbroom area and who enjoy the views as they are now and would not tolerate such a change to the landscape.  The cost of installing small scale wind turbines is approx. £5,000 per kilowatt.  Given that the three houses will require minimally 60 kW the wind turbine(s) would cost at least £300,000.  Suitable batteries and inverters would add another £70,000 – £90,000 to the overall cost. 

It should also be noted that there are no existing small domestic wind turbines in the Lochbroom area which should give an indication of the prevailing wind conditions (or lack of) in the area.  Inland wind turbines at sea level are highly unproductive and there is no part of the land on which wind turbines can be sited in an elevated position.

Overall, it is difficult to envisage a realistic option for generating the required quantity of renewable energy for the three 4-5 bedroom houses.  A combination of wind turbines and solar PVCs could provide part of the solution but the overall cost of installing and maintaining the infrastructure would reach £500,000 and even then the system would be intermittent and fail to produce anywhere close to all the electrical energy required by three houses.  And that assumes that planning permission can be obtained for an alternative to the specified micro-hydro scheme.  This amounts to a ‘catch-22’ situation as the only realistic and efficient means of generating sufficient renewable energy is through a hybrid system of solar and micro-hydro power – and this option is not available to developers on this site.  Potential owners should also be aware of the very high capital costs and the fact that no grants or Feed in Tariff’s (FIT’s) currently available as the development is ‘off grid’ and the owners cannot sell-back any excess electricity. 

In a three owner development such as this the sharing of power generation infrastructure  creates significant problems between the parties involved and are potentially a legal minefield.  Issues such as; capital costs, maintenance costs, repair costs, proportioning use of electricity, where is the infrastructure sited, who is responsible for the operation ?  What happens when one plot owner decides to sell their share of the power system ?  Ultimately, all the plot owners become totally dependent on the cooperation and compliance of the other owners.  This can be brought into sharp focus when one owner tries to sell his/her property and cannot satisfy the purchasers solicitors of the validity of any relationship with the other property owners.  A potential legal minefield that most solicitors would strongly advise against. 

• The Access Track.  The site location is 50 miles from Inverness, the nearest suppliers of materials and equipment.  Deliveries to site by conventional means (vans and lorries) is impossible due to the terrain and the narrow, single-track, unmade road that winds over peat bog and mountain side for a mile and a half with a steep decent of 700 feet over the final ¾ of a mile.  Use of the track is restricted to 4×4 vehicles.  There is also a  weight limit of 3.5 tons.  This is the only vehicle access.  The final half of the track falls steeply, carved into the side of the hill with precipitous drop-offs, no guard rails and very few passing places.  In the winter snow and ice make the track treacherous.  Even Land-Rovers with snow-chains find it impossible and every winter has periods during which access is impossible when the track cannot be used due to snow and ice, sometimes for 4 or 5 weeks at a time.  Much of the upper part of the track is built directly on top of the peat bog and regularly subsides and gives way. 

Over the past five years on two separate occasions vehicles have gone through the track one a Fire & Rescue appliance (attending heath fire).  Both requiring heavy lifting recovery equipment.  On one occasion this resulted in the road being blocked for more than two days when the rescue truck also got stuck.  The track required extensive repairs on both occasions.  The only way to improve the situation would be to undertake a massive up-grade of the whole track to make it suitable for the increased traffic use, which will inevitably result from the addition of three houses.  Estimate of costs associated with an up-grade of the track; £100,000 – £120,000. Which would have to be funded by the developers.  Even a substantial upgrade will not make the track suitable for the delivery of building materials etc. due to the steep gradients unless the lorries had 4×4 capability. 

Highland Council Building Regulations that apply to a new development such as this require the track to be widened from the present 2.4 m to 3.5 m in order to allow the access of emergency vehicles.  This will involve widening the whole mile and a half of track, replacing ditches and culverts as well as engineering support for the more fragile stretches of track where there are drop-offs.  The final 100 m of the access track (to the plots) crosses Altnaharrie Inn land and as with most shared private access roads, has the potential to cause significant problems and any alterations will require the approval and consent of the Altnaharrie Inn as well as that of the Dundonnell Estate who host the majority of the track as it descends to Altnaharrie. 

• Legal Access and Boundaries.

The legal right of vehicles to cross the Altnaharrie Inn land and access the plots is described in the Property Deeds and the route is shown marked as a yellow track on the accompanying map.  However, the final 50 m of this access track, as it approaches the building sites, has been built (by the vendors) on land belonging to the Dundonnell Estate.  This has been proven by GPS survey, despite what the Deeds appear to show and suggests that the Deeds are not in fact a correct representation of the true position.  Consequently, there is no legitimate route of vehicle access to the plots without straying onto Dundonnell Estate land. 

As things stand – to get to the plots a vehicle on the track (as it is now) would have to leave Altnaharrie Inn land – transfer to Dundonnell Estate land and then onto the land owned by the vendors of the plots.  This is the only means of vehicle access to the plots.  Details can be viewed in documents lodged with the Land Register of Scotland.  Anyone wishing to develop these plots will require the consent of the Dundonnell Estate before this access route can legitimately be used by vehicles.  I should make it clear that this situation was created by the vendors and not the Dundonnell Estate.  As a consequence of the illegal siting of the track on Dundonnell land I have confirmation from the Dundonnell Estate that consent for vehicle use will not be forthcoming under any circumstances and the Estate is not interested in any financial arrangements with potential developers.  This is a complex issue and further discussion in this public forum would not be appropriate.  If you require more in depth information regarding the boundary and vehicle access – please contact me at:  nigel.altnaharrie@gmail.com

• The Site / Plots.  The site is surrounded by land belonging to the Dundonnell Estate to the east and south and the Altnaharrie Inn to the westerly boundary.  There is no access to the site except over these landholdings or by boat via Lochbroom where the foreshore (Crown Estate) makes up the north easterly boundary.  The site is also traversed by an ancient drovers right of way between Altnaharrie and Newton Loggie.  Any purchaser would have to satisfy themselves legally that this did not interfere with their plans to build houses.  Recent legislation has toughened the right of the public to access these ancient rights of way and it will not be possible for house owners to fence off their land preventing the access of cattle and walkers which both have embedded rights of access.  A local farmer also has the right to graze his livestock on the land.  Building houses would not negate these rights.  There are also at least two ancient ruins which will have to be avoided and preserved.  An archaeological survey and excavation will be required before work can commence.

The removal or damaging of trees throughout the whole site is expressly disallowed as a Condition of planning consent (Condition 10).  This Condition applies to the whole site and any off-site pipe work and access tracks undertaken in the installation of the proposed micro-hydro scheme and or water supply.  Due to the present distribution of trees, it would be impossible to create an access track to the beach for building materials to be delivered (see later) without damaging or removing trees.  Further, as the track crosses Altnaharrie Inn land there are trees overhanging the track.  Absolutely no cutting, pruning or damage to the trees may be carried out to gain access.  Any damage to trees on Altnaharrie Inn land will result in legal action.

Planning permission is for three houses.  However, Condition 5 of the consent determines that only one house can be built prior to the building and commissioning of the micro-hydro scheme (see previously under 1. Electrical Energy Supply).  Without being able to build the micro-hydro scheme there is only legitimate planning consent for one house.  Ground assessment carried out in 2006 (or thereabouts) estimated a cost of £90,000 – £100,000 to place the foundations of just one house.  This high cost is due to the very poor boggy ground and the difficulties and problems accessing the site with machinery.  It should be assumed that now in 2021 the cost would have increased substantially.

The three plots are currently being sold for £150,000 each or £450,000 for the whole area of land plus £45,000 tax making a total of nearly half a million pounds.  The average price point for a single building plot with all services and unrestricted access in the area is £60,000 – £80,000.

• Building Supplies.  Because of the poor condition of the access track and the lack of legal access for vehicles, all building materials and equipment will have to be delivered by boat from Ullapool and landed on the beach at the east end of the bay.  Alternatively, helicopter transfer may prove more efficient although there are considerable costs involved and serious issues will arise if further materials have to be delivered at a later date.  Everything will then have to be moved from the beach up to the proposed house sites.  It will be impossible to do this without building a temporary track/road which will inevitably involve some damage to the environment and destruction of trees and the foreshore with the potential to disturb the otter population – all expressly prohibited in the Conditions of planning consent and or protected species legislation.  At the very least this will require further planning permission from the Highland Council, an environmental risk assessment and the afore mentioned ‘License to Disturb Otters’ from the Scottish National Heritage (SNH).  Delivery of materials and equipment by boat inevitably adds substantial extra cost, difficulties and inconvenience to the build programme.

• Water Supply.  Although the owners of the building sites have the right to abstract domestic water from the Altnaharrie burn, realistically the new houses will have to be supplied with domestic water from a bore hole.  The sustainability of supply from the Altnaharrie burn is impossible to guarantee.  During the summer months, the flow in the burn is no more than a trickle and during June 2016, May 2018 and June-July 2021 (as with many other years) we have droughts for many weeks and the burn dries completely.  In 2014 we had to bring in our domestic water.  Had there been any further demand placed on the burn by additional houses (potentially an additional 30 people) it would have been a disaster for all concerned.  The photograph of the Altnaharrie burn below was taken on May 20^th, 2018, and is typical of the situation that occurs at regular intervals particularly during the earlier summer months.  We are seeing this happen more and more as the effects of global climate change impact the Highlands.

At the moment there are no supply pipes connecting the building plots with the Altnaharrie burn.  In the flash flood of 2014, the water supply pipes to the plots were washed away along with the pool where abstraction took place

. 

The damaged pipe currently runs under land belonging to the Dundonnell Estate so  consent for new water pipes would be required from the Dundonnell Estate (as per above re. Access).  However, it would be very foolish to rely on the burn as a source of water.  A far more sensible and sustainable solution would be the provision of a bore hole to supply all three new properties – assuming a suitable water source can be found.  Shared pumping and storage tanks and sterilisation plant would complete the system and ensure year-round safe and sustainable source of domestic water.  This sort of arrangement has enormous potential for legal problems not only in the set-up process but also ongoing with regard to financing, maintenance and repair.  Approximate cost £20,000-30,000.

• Crossing the Burn.  The only access track to the plots must cross the Altnaharrie burn on Altnaharrie Inn land.  In the flood of 2014 this section of track was washed out with 50,000 tons of rock and debris crashing down the gorge ending up in Altnaharrie.  During the event, the culvert under the road was blocked and the track destroyed.  It took three months to clear-up the debris, rock, fallen trees and rebuild the track.  During this period, the building plots were cut-off and unreachable by vehicle. This could easily happen again at any time and climatologists are confidently predicting that such rain-fall events will become more frequent in the future.  Following the flood, a temporary crossing was provided with a ford where the track crosses the burn.  This is satisfactory whilst there is no vehicle traffic but it may not suit the new owners of the plots as when the burn in spate and flowing well the track is impassable for vehicles, making the plots inaccessible – sometimes for weeks at a time. 

In the future, if plot owners wish to upgrade the crossing they will be required to install  a properly engineered 3.5 m wide bridge, at their expense.  Any alteration to the track or crossing will be subject to written approval from the Altnaharrie Inn before any work can commence.  For the avoidance of doubt the owners of the plots are responsible for the cost of upkeep of this section of the track and any crossing of the burn, as per the Property Deeds.  Approximate cost for a new bridge and reinstating the track, £30,000 – £40,000.

• Sewage Disposal.  Details regarding the disposal of waste are sketchy.  It should be noted that septic tanks have been proposed.  However, it is impossible to evacuate septic  tanks as suitable vehicles cannot access the site.  At this time, it has been proposed that sewage discharge  is directly into the waters of Lochbroom, with all the obvious disastrous effects on the marine wildlife and water quality.  A site evaluation and  suitable license from SEPA will be required.  It is probable that a small scale sewage treatment plant will be required for all three houses.  Estimated cost 35,000.

Estimated Costs of Development.

The following estimate is based on my experience of living here for 18 years and extensive knowledge of the installation and use of renewable energy in this location.  All assumptions take into account the extreme difficulty of building in such a remote, inaccessible location as well as the difficulties in getting builders, trades and materials to the site.  The estimate also assumes that the developers can somehow provide electricity and gain legal access – which is currently impossible.  This is an unqualified estimate and any potential purchaser would be advised to obtain professional advice.  The actual costs could be far higher.

The general view of local builders is that this development at Altnaharrie would incur a doubling of the normal cost of building a similar house(s) in a standard location plus the extraordinary costs of providing the infrastructure, such as access tracks, electricity, water and sewage.  Estimated cost  of buying the land, installing the infrastructure and building one house as per the submitted plans for a four/five bedroom property is between £1.5 and £1.75 million.  This always assumes that a potential owner can overcome all of the legal hurdles associated with this development and obtain vital consents from neighbouring landowners – who have made it clear that they will not co-operate with the development on any level.

Building more than one house will trigger the requirement for renewable energy to the whole site.  Using diesel generators is only allowed as a temporary measure, a grid connection is out of the question and providing sufficient electricity from renewable sources for three houses impossible to deliver – it would therefor appear that this housing development is dead in the water.

Anyone familiar with the building process will know that builders can generally pick and choose which contracts they take on.  All builders are extremely busy in the Highlands and that goes for the independent trades as well.  They are booked up for months and some for more than a year.  This location at Altnaharrie is a very significant deterrence to builders and tradesmen.  Taking on a housing development in a location as difficult as this is always going to meet with reluctance and in fact it is almost impossible to get any trades to come to Altnaharrie even for small jobs, let alone a full-scale building project.  If they do agree to come here…the usual process when costing the job is for a builder to think of a number and double it ! 

Conclusion.

Nobody contemplating buying one of these plots and trying to build a house should underestimate the enormity of the task ahead in terms of successfully building here.  Even with a limitless budget there are significant impediments to building that are and will be insurmountable.  My advice – before you waste too much money – is to go and find a better place to build your dream home.  It is true that there are better waterside locations in Scotland, better views, places with better services, access, amenities, communication and critically, with a lack of legal issues. 

I want to make it absolutely clear to anyone contemplating building houses here at Altnaharrie that we do not want this development to happen and the simple fact that any newcomers will have to constantly cross our land to get to the plots (assuming the access issue could be dealt with) guarantees a very difficult relationship for us all.  We are totally hostile to the idea of this reckless desecration of the natural environment and we will do everything we can to resist the development – including the withholding of consents and legal action through Judicial Review of the planning consent.  The vendors of the land have suggested in the past that we are welcoming of further development in some bizarre creation of a ‘community’ here at Altnaharrie.  This is totally untrue.  We are 100% opposed to this whole idea.  Altnaharrie deserves to remain as it is today –  unspoilt.