The company shocked residents a few weeks ago when they announced that their preferred route for transporting the large turbines and blades was through Golspie and Brora and along the single-track Strath Brora road.

They had dismissed taking them by Drummuie and extending the purpose-built roads to the Kilbraur wind farm, claiming they had not been able to reach agreement with two of the four landowners involved.

Golspie and Brora Community Councils met privately with SSE representatives last Thursday evening when it was agreed that the community councils should write to the landowners asking them to expedite matters.

At the same meeting Chris Marden, SSE's onshore wind farm development manager in Scotland, said he was surprised by the strength of feeling shown by the community. He also said that, because of time restraints imposed by the national grid, a decision on the route had to be confirmed by November 6.

Earlier on the day of that meeting, it transpired, SSE had written to those people who had asked them to reconsider their access route, saying they would do just that. In the letter, from Mr Marden, he reiterated that SSE had considered the Kilbraur route but had been unable to reach agreement with two of the landowners.

He continued, however: "In recognition of the considerable community response to our decision we have agreed to reconsider the Kilbraur option in the hope that we might still receive the co-operation from the other parties involved which is required to enable this route to be delivered. This position has been taken on the condition that an agreement could be reached within the tight timescales that we now face.

"We are aware that A9 traffic through Golspie and Brora is a sensitive issue locally and it has always been our commitment, regardless of the particular access route used, to ensure that the impact of construction traffic is kept to a minimum and that any practical issues are addressed through constructive liaison with the community.

"Our revised position clearly demonstrates our commitment to the local community and has the potential to resolve the concerns being raised. We sincerely hope that this decision is met positively by the community and that we can begin to build and enjoy the positive relationships that we have with so many of our other communities."

It is understood that the Highland Council and Balnacoil Estates have agreed terms with SSE. A third landowner, Farlary crofter Bob Meeres, says he is waiting to hear back from the power company.

He told the NT: "As far as I'm concerned they have no problems making any deals with me. I could make a deal with them in an afternoon. I'm not going to be greedy.

"From what I can gather, it is actually probably just one landowner who is giving a problem."

The fourth landowner is Sutherland Estates. In a letter to the NT this week, estate manager Chris Whealing said that SSE had made an offer to them for the use of existing estate access roads. He writes: "Taking advice from an experienced professional valuer, who researched current market rates, it was made clear to us that the sum being offered by SSE at this time was not even remotely close to that which we were advised should be accepted, and, while negotiations over details of an agreement went on with SSE, they ultimately reached an impasse.

"Nevertheless, following the high degree of local concern expressed about SSE's intention to use the public roads through Golspie and Brora, we wrote to the company offering to accept a significantly reduced sum in the hope that this would encourage SSE to seriously consider the Kilbraur route and avoid the justified concerns of local residents.

"We have yet to receive a reply to that letter, and were shocked and surprised to read in an advert that appeared in the Northern Times on 22nd August that the company had made their decision and negotiations were effectively at an end. This public announcement was the first intimation we had had of SSE's intentions."

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