Planning permission has been refused for a proposed wind farm at Caithness because its impact on the surrounding landscape and people would have been "too great".

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing found that the impact of the Spittal Hill farm on the occupants of nearby properties was too high, and the impact on views would be unacceptable when considered together with wind farms nearby.

The application was for a 77.5MW, 30 turbine wind farm on a hill 1.2km north east of Spittal Village, Caithness and was submitted by Spittal Hill Windfarm Limited.

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Local planning authority the Highland Council objected to the application, so a public local inquiry was held in May 2011 but consent has now been refused.

Mr Ewing said the decision was "balanced" and wind farms should reflect their surroundings.

He said: "I am determined to ensure communities all over Scotland reap the benefit from renewable energy – but not at any cost. We will ensure a balanced approach in taking forward this policy, as we have in the past and will in future. The Scottish Government wants to see the right developments in the right places and Scottish planning policy is clear that the design and location of any wind farm should reflect the scale and character of the landscape and should be considered environmentally acceptable. The impact of this proposed wind farm on the landscape, and the impact it would have on the homes of those who live closest to it, is too great."

(NE)