Caithness wind farm set to run for 50 years if Highland Council approves application
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A CAITHNESS wind farm’s operational life looks set to double to 50 years after a planning application was recommended for approval.
The owners of Wathegar Wind Farm near Bilbster have sought to vary the existing planning permission for the five turbine site.
It currently has permission to operate turbines at the 10-year-old wind farm for 25 years - of which it still had 15 left to run. But it has since applied for vary conditions to enable the wind farm to operate for up to 50 years - extending its operational life to 2063.
Highland Council planners recommend this be granted when the north planning applications committee meets today.
In their report, council officers reveal that the application has received no objections - either within the community, from local councils or statutory bodies like NatureScot.
However, the report added that NatureScot did advise”that the continued operation of the wind farm beyond the originally consented lifespan might have a significant effect on greylag goose within the Caithness and Lochs Special Protection Area (SPA) and on herring gull and great black backed gull within the East Caithness Cliffs SPA.”
The report continued: “An appropriate assessment is required on the part of the planning authority in relation to these effects. NatureScot also recommended further post construction monitoring in respect of herring gull and great black backed gull.”
Recommending that the planning committee grant the extension, the report concluded: “The principle of the wind farm at this location has already been established. The council is supportive of renewable energy projects as is the Scottish Government which in particular has challenging targets for the country to meet in terms of electricity supply from renewable resources.
“Support is given on the basis of developments being in the right place and with appropriate protection for the environment. The impact of the wind farm has already been deemed to be acceptable in this location and development has been operational for several years.
“There have been no objections raises from third parties or concerns raised in respect of the established pattern of wind farm development in this location.”
If councillors vote to approve the extension, the site will operate until 2063, and developers will have until 2065 to decommission it.
