Soaring height of turbines at Lairg 2 wind farm

Developers of the Lairg 2 windfarm, a start on which has yet to be made, are seeking to increase the height of its turbines yet again.

EnergyFarm UK was given consent at a meeting of the North Planning Applications Committee in June 2019 to erect seven turbines measuring 180 metres to tip height and three at a height of 150 metres.

The site in question is close to the existing three-turbine Lairg 1 wind farm some 4km south-east of the village.

Just weeks after gaining consent, the firm submitted a ‘Pre-Application Notice’ (PAN) flagging up its intent to increase the height of the seven taller turbines by 10 metres to 190m.

And now a further PAN has been lodged indicating it wants to amend the height of the seven again, this time to 210m.

The second PAN came before the committee last month when members were reminded it was would be the subject of a later planning application.

Cllr Donnie Mackay, Caithness, said: “Can we not have a meeting to discuss the height of wind turbines. This one is going up to 210m, what will it be next? They are getting higher and higher the whole time. I feel for residents in that area.”

Committee chairwoman Maxine Smith, Cromarty Firth, said: “This is not an application yet; it is a pre-application so we don’t discuss it. In Europe they are a lot higher than this. As it comes to us we can discuss it. If we are not happy, we can refuse it.”

Anti-wind farm campaigner Brenda Herrick said she was “fed up” with all the post-consent amendments.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.