Orkney Islands Council has submitted planning applications for a six-turbine wind farm development and associated marine infrastructure on Faray in Orkney's North Isles.

An Environmental Impact Assessment – which provides detail on the likely effects of the project on the environment - has been produced, which covers both the turbines and the marine infrastructure, however the two elements of the project are subject to separate regulatory processes.

A planning application has been submitted to the local planning authority for elements of the project above Mean Low Water Springs (MLWS), i.e. the onshore wind turbines and associated infrastructure above MLWS.

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At the same time, marine licence applications have been submitted to Marine Scotland's Marine Licensing Team (MS-LOT) for works below Mean High Water Springs (MHWS), i.e. the installation of improved access to Faray via construction of a new extended slipway and landing jetty.

Two marine licence applications are required, one for the construction and one for dredging disposal operations.

Both elements of the project were subject to pre-application consultation processes in October 2020 and March 2021 respectively.

'Orkney's Community Wind Farm Project – Faray' is the last of three projects comprising 'Orkney's Community Wind Farm Project' to be submitted for planning, with two other proposed council-owned wind farm developments sites being located at Quanterness in St Ola and at Wee Fea in Hoy.

As with Hoy and Quanterness, a request will be made to the Scottish Ministers to call in the planning application covering the onshore elements, on the grounds of national importance.