Highland councillors recommended not to object to proposed wind farm near Grantown
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Highland councillors are being recommended not to raise any objection to plans for the latest wind farm proposed for the Dava Moor.
Member of the local authority’s South Planning Applications Committee will discuss the plans for Ourack Wind Farm, some 10 kilometres north of Grantown, on Tuesday at Inverness headquarters.
The planned development comprises 18 turbines of up to 180m to blade tip height, battery energy storage system, control building, substation, access tracks, three borrow pits, cabling and ancillary infrastructure.
Planning officials are recommending that members do not object to the bid subject to the removal of turbine 17 and some ancillary infrastructure.
The lifetime of the proposed scheme is 35 years.
The proposal is expected to generate approximately 105 MW of power depending on the turbine model chosen, plus up to 50 MW of battery energy storage.
The final decision will be taken by Scottish Government ministers.
Part of the proposals include off-site road improvements, specifically on the A939 at Castle Grant and Dava Bridge.
If approved, there will be 16.7 kilometres of internal access tracks to connect the wind turbines and other infrastructure to the site entrance.
Grantown Community Council has objected to the application.
The watchdog has raised concerns on the cumulative visual effect especially along the historic old road from Strathspey over the Ourack; impacts of aviation lighting on the area and the traffic and long terms visual impact from the access through Grantown and the railway embankment by the West Lodge.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority has not objected to the application.
The council report states: “Since the scoping stage, the applicant has removed turbines closet to the park boundary using the local landform of Carn Ruighe an Uain to screen the majority of the turbines locally.
“This has significantly reduced blade tip and hub height visibility directly across and down into the park in the vicinity of Huntly’s Cave.”
The full 120 page report can be accessed by clicking here.
