§ 23. Mr. Steeleasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he has considered the protest concerning the works which he proposes to carry out from the residents of the villages of Roseneath, Clynder, Garelochhead, Shandon and Rhu; what steps have been taken to secure public approval of their scheme; and if he will agree to a public inquiry.
54W
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydIn conjunction with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, I have considered very sympathetically the representations which have been made to me by the Dumbartonshire County Council on behalf of the local residents, and meetings have been held with the council in February and again in May at which the reasons in the choice of site were fully explained. As a result of their inspection of a scale model of the site as it would be after the proposed development works, the county council recognised that its appearance would not depreciate the local amenities. The alternative site suggested by the council, even if practicable, would, I am afraid, involve a prohibitive cost. A public inquiry could, therefore, serve no useful purpose in this case, and would only cause unnecessary delay in carrying out the scheme.