Residents in a Perthshire conservation village say they’re horrified after power giant SSE was allowed to build a 20ft steel ‘eyesore’ outside their homes. St Fillans is just inside the boundary for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Most of the village, beside Loch Earn, was designated a conservation area in 2011.
That means locals need – and are often denied – permission to do even minor alterations to their homes. But SSE Renewables was able to go ahead and construct its screening tower without approval – and with no prior consultation. That’s because the structure is classed as “permitted development” under planning rules.
SSE Renewables is now offering to plant trees to block it from view of residents and the many visitors who flock to the village every year. But locals want it gone. They have pledged to fight to have it removed.
And they’ve enlisted Perthshire MP to back them up. Wendy Russell’s home sits directly opposite the tower. She and her neighbours are upset at the injustice of the situation.
“We can’t do anything to our properties without planning permission,” said Wendy. “We have to go through all sorts of hoops if we want to change anything. “But something like this can go ahead without any consultation.
” The device has been brought in to help clean an existing screening system at the Earn Weir. It filters out unwanted materials before they get to the Dalchonzie Power Station. Until now workers have had to remove fo.