Loch Brora has shaped who l am.
As it has for generations before me, and should do for generations to come. The Loch and surroundings are a vital part of our community that holds priceless value and would be impossible to replace. Locals and visitors alike have emotional connection to the beauty and spirit of this place. Many people also depend on this unique natural environment for their livelihoods. This proposed squeeze on our environment presented within the context of a need for green energy must be explained by those who are elected to govern in our best interests.
The cheapest and quickest solutions are often not the best ones and usually come with a hidden cost. The cost in this instance being the social impact to people’s health, wellbeing and recreation. Each very difficult to value on an excel spreadsheet to an accountant or funding source, remote from the scene.
There’s no doubt that we need sustainable, responsible energy for the future, however that future also needs special places like Loch Brora and Carrol Rock, places for us to recharge our own batteries and create the experiences and memories which sustain us. There are alternative options for routing this infrastructure but these require a shift in thinking around what constitutes value. We risk irreversible destruction of this special place, and though those who take the decision will move on quickly, those of us who love this place and the generations who follow us risk losing a vital part of our community forever.
We have to balance environmental, social and economic interests, on all sides. So far l've seen nothing to support the interest of the first two factors, by those whose single minded approach would destroy the fabric and community of the land around loch Brora.
