PLANNING chiefs are recommending to Highland councillors that they reject a developer’s proposals for a giant, 23-turbine windfarm at Druim Ba, near Kiltarlity, when they consider the application next Tuesday.
Druim Ba Sustainable Energy hopes to construct 490ft high turbines in a forest on the Blairmore Estate, 10 miles southwest of Inverness and four miles north of Drumnadrochit on the banks of Loch Ness.
Council planning officials have cited “adverse visual impact on the locality surrounding the site” as grounds for refusal. Kiltarlity, Inverness West, Glenurquhart and Kilmorack community councils have all objected to the planning application.
Beauly Community Council, however, supports the proposal.
The council’s technical services department has expressed concern about the possibility of noise nuisance from giant turbines at the site for local properties.
And its roads department is concerned about a risk of damage to council-maintained roads from heavy construction vehicles that would be required to build a windpark at the location.
Members of the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey planning committeeare expected to visit thesite next Tuesday morning before making their observations.
Because of the scale of the proposal, the SNP Government will ultimately decide its fate.