Energy company ‘keen to engage’ over plans for new wind farm above Loch Ness
The public will be given an opportunity to help shape proposals for a major new wind farm above Loch Ness in the heart of the Monadhliath mountains.
European energy company Vattenfall is hoping to build a 65-turbine wind farm at Glenmarkie, near Whitebridge and close to the existing Stronelairg wind farm.
The turbines could be up to 250 metres high and the company is seeking to operate the development for 30 years.
Vattenfall, which submitted a scoping report the the Scottish Government in September, says the Glenmarkie wind farm could create up to £2.4 million a year in community benefit, as well as instigating a peatland restoration project on the nearby moorland.
The firm will share its early plans at a series of public exhibitions and consultation events taking place during November.
Simon Lejeune, Vattenfall’s lead project development manager for Glenmarkie, said: “The project is in the very initial stages of design, so we’re keen to engage with the community as early as possible to ensure that their consultation feedback has the most potential to influence the design and delivery of the scheme.
“We are sensitive to the fact that there are likely to be a mix of views locally, and that large-scale projects like this, at an early stage of design, can often raise a mix of views.
“So, we will listen carefully to people’s feedback and build a clear picture of the areas we need to focus on from a community perspective.
“We’re particularly aware that there are likely to be concerns about construction traffic associated with the Glenmarkie proposal, amongst other considerations.
“We wish to discuss this in more detail with the community at the exhibitions and explore potential commitments that we can make to help minimise any potential disruption and impact on the local roads.”
The consultation events will offer local communities the chance to meet the project team, learn more about the wind farm’s design, and share their views.
Based on the early proposed 65-turbine layout, Vattenfall says that the 481MW scheme could provide a community benefit fund of up to £2.4 million each year to the local area – £72 million over the project’s 30-year operational lifetime – deliver up to £4.1 million in annual business rates, and offset the equivalent of up to 350,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.
The events will take place at Laggan Hall on Tuesday, November 11, from 3pm-6pm; on Wednesday, November 12 at Glenmoriston Millenium Hall in Invermoriston, from 10am-1pm and The Wildside Centre at Whitebridge from 3pm-7pm; then on Thursday, November 13 at Farr Community Hall, from 10am-2pm and The Strathdearn Hub at Tomatin, from 4pm-7pm.
The exhibition information, including feedback forms, will also be available to view online from the project website at www.vattenfall.co.uk/our-projects/glenmarkie from Tuesday, November 11.
Lucy Blake, Vattenfall’s project manager for Glenmarkie Wind Farm, said: “In addition to designing our projects sensitively from a community perspective, we’re committed to minimising any environmental impacts and exploring opportunities for habitat enhancements.
“Vattenfall is passionate about protecting peatland and we are involved in a major peatland restoration project covering 1500 hectares at our Pen y Cymoedd wind farm in Wales.
“We believe there is potential for a unique peatland restoration project at Glenmarkie as it is located in an area of heavily eroded moorland with extensive areas of eroding peat pans, so we’re keen to explore this opportunity further as the project progresses.”
The closing date for submitting comments to Vattenfall at this stage in the design process is Friday, December 12. There will be another opportunity to comment once the design has been developed further and before it is submitted into planning.