A final decision is expected to be made on whether to grant approval for a new 67-turbine wind farm in the Monadhliath Mountains.

Scottish Ministers and SSE appealed against a Judicial Review decision on the Stronelairg Wind Farm, taken by the John Muir Trust at the Inner House of the Court of Session in Edinburgh, last week.

The successful review overturned an earlier Scottish Government decision giving the go-ahead for the multi-million pound development near Loch Ness.

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In addition, the Trust was refused a Protective Expenses Order that would have limited its liability for costs in the Inner House of the Court of Session in the event of losing the main appeal.

Since 2012, the Trust has been fighting the proposed development due to Scottish Natural Heritage advising the wind farm should not be built at Stronelairg because of its wild land qualities.

Stuart Brooks, Chief Executive for the John Muir Trust, said: "While we await the decision of this latest appeal, it's disconcerting that the refusal of a Protective Expenses Order means that in taking on this issue in the public interest, as was noted in the Judicial Review decision, we will have to continue to ask members of the public to dig deep into their pockets to defend a judge's decision which ruled that the Scottish Ministers' consent for the construction of Stronelairg was unlawful."

A decision on the appeal is expected, at the earliest, in a couple of months.

(LM)