A planning application for a six-turbine wind farm development at Quanterness outside Kirkwall has been submitted by Orkney Islands Council.

The development is part of Orkney's Community Wind Farm Project, which could also see council-owned wind farm developments in Hoy and on Faray.

If the proposals and sites are found through the planning process to be appropriate and the project goes forward, it could generate significant income and community benefit for Orkney. All profit would stay in the islands, enabling the Council to preserve and enhance key services that local people value and depend upon and providing a foundation for communities to drive transformational projects of their own.

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The projects would also allow the Council to join other local developers in making a meaningful contribution to a Needs Case for a new interconnector for Orkney, thereby substantially supporting the vital renewable energy industry in Orkney.

Planning applications for the Hoy and Faray projects are likely to follow in Summer and Autumn respectively, as there are additional survey requirements for these sites. Public consultation events will be held shortly in these areas to present the latest plans and gather public views.

All three developments are substantial, and the turbines are of a height not used in Orkney before (149.9m to blade tip). The projects therefore present a number of potential impacts and these must be weighed against the potential benefits from the project. Individuals will have different opinions on that balance and through the planning process have the opportunity to express their support or objections to the development.

Councillors agreed late last year that a request should be made to the Scottish Government to call-in the application on the grounds that the development is of national significance. That request has now been made and the Council is awaiting a decision from the Scottish Government as to whether they will call in the application or not.

(MH/JG)