A Scottish renewable energy trade group has warned Highland Council it risks losing valuable community benefits due to its new windfarm policy.
The council plans to launch its revised agreement on the issue at a conference in Inverness this week.
It follows a decision in December that community benefits from all future windfarm applications will be split between the area immediately affected and the wider Highlands.
The contribution from developers will rise to £5,000 per megawatt and the money will be divided, with 55% going to the local community, 30% to the surrounding area and 15% to a Highland-wide fund, to which communities can bid for a share.
Scottish Renewables has now written to the local authority outlining its concerns.
Jenny Hogan, director of policy at Scottish Renewables, said Highland Council could introduce “a serious conflict of interest” in its dual role as decision-maker on applications and negotiator for any resulting community benefit.
“Effectively, these new proposals would see them as judge and jury on windfarm developments when it should remain a voluntary scheme not directly regulated by any one organisation – including a local authority,” she said.
“Although the plans include forming a new independent body called the Highlands Trust, we are concerned that communities will be discouraged from working directly with developers to ensure funds are spent where they are most needed.
“There is a danger that these future benefits could be jeopardised if developers start to think twice about coming to the Highlands.”
Ian Ross, chairman of the planning, environment and development committee, insisted the system would operate “completely outside of the planning and consent process”.
He said: “It is a voluntary scheme. It is entirely up to the developer to participate.
“There is no requirement or enforcement. It is also not retrospective, so any existing scheme will remain in place.”
The council’s renewables conference at the Centre for Health Science on Friday will be followed by a series of workshops around the region in March intended to explain the new policy to residents.
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