Highland Council accused of ‘murky’ role in giant windfarm application

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A community group campaigning to save Sutherland from industrialisation has accused Highland Council of a lack of transparency in its links with a windfarm developer.

Keep Kinlochbervie Special has raised concerns about the relationship between Highland Council and Galileo Empower, which is planning a controversial windfarm in the village.

The campaign group is highlighting that the windfarm has been included positively in a mysterious new ‘masterplan’ for the area, although a planning application for the proposed development has not yet been submitted.

Susan Black, a local crofter and spokesperson for Keep Kinlochbervie Special, said: “People here were astonished when this ‘masterplan’ appeared out of nowhere, promoting the so-called benefits of this giant windfarm.

“Highland Council’s actions over the past 18 months are murky to say the least. We already have at least four masterplans and development plans for this region, all of which have been created openly, in consultation with local people. Suddenly we hear about this new ‘vision’ which nobody knows anything about. Why didn’t Highland Council put its name on it?  It is clear there was a sudden need to create a new document for one purpose only – to create the perception that this massive energy development was always within the local place plan.”

Highland Council subsequently confirmed that it commissioned the document, describing it as an ‘emerging masterplan’, but abruptly cancelled two proposed community engagement events after concerns were raised.

The draft ‘masterplan’ has cut and pasted text from the developer’s publicity materials, describing Kinlochbervie as ‘ideally located’ for an energy development and extolling a range of perceived benefits for the area if the project went ahead, such as ‘both revenue and jobs’, ‘greater resilience’ and ‘safeguarding the future of the settlement’.

Separately, Highland Council’s Delivery Plan Progress Update refers to a ‘strategic masterplan for Kinlochbervie’ with positive references to the Galileo Empower development, citing ‘a unique opportunity’ and stating that: “The Investment Pipeline project has initiated conversations with Galileo Empower, THC’s Property department and Kinlochbervie Estate owner to establish the states of the projects mentioned. Further discussions will be held to identify gaps and opportunities in a collaborative manner.” (paragraph 8.1.2, Delivery Plan Budget Monitoring and Progress Update Q3 2025/26, Highland Council).

Ms Black continued: “We are not anti-renewables, but it is the sheer scale of this project, its potential ruination of the landscape and its minimal benefit to the community that so much concerns us -- the vast part of the income  would go abroad. A much smaller scheme, preferably hydro, would be much more advantageous to the environment and the community.

“Highland Council has serious questions to answer. Local authorities are statutory consultees for windfarm applications. As such they should not express a view in advance of a formal application being made. The wording of the progress update report could be interpreted as the Council having already made up its mind in favour. It is extremely doubtful that these discussions should be taking place at all, before the submission of a planning application, let alone in private and behind closed doors.”

Galileo Empower is a joint venture between Dublin-based Empower Renewables and Galileo Green Energy, headquartered in Zurich. According to its web site, the joint venture is ‘targeting a utility-scale portfolio of onshore wind, solar and storage projects’ across Europe.

The proposed Kinlochbervie windfarm would involve the construction of 18 wind turbines with a blade tip height of 200m, a Battery Energy Storage System, control building, storage compound, new access tracks, concrete batching plant and anemometry mast. A ground-mounted solar array is also under consideration.

It is expected, but not yet confirmed, that the development would seek to connect to the national grid at Shin or Dalchork, requiring the construction of a new pylon line stretching across 20 miles of unspoilt landscape, with electricity towers of up to 50 metres in height.