Scottish councillors have voted unanimously to allow the Limekiln wind project variation application to move to the final decision-making stage with Scottish Government ministers.
The voting was carried out at the North Planning Applications Committee of The Highland Council on 7 December.
The decision, which will see two of the 21 turbines removed from the wind farm at Limekiln, south of Reay in Caithness, will allow the application to progress unopposed by statutory consultees.
As well as the removal of two turbines, the variation to the current consent seeks to bring a number of improvements to the project, including a revised track design, allowing improved access during the construction works to the core path network and an increase in tip heights to unlock full wind potential and proper alignment with the neighbouring Limekiln Wind Farm Extension project.
Infinergy and Boralex are developing the project.
Infinergy managing director Esbjorn Wilmar said: “I am delighted that the Highland Council has taken such a positive decision.
“The revised scheme will see increased benefits to the local area, not only in terms of access around the site but in terms of increased community benefits.
“The communities of Caithness are some of those most in need of such benefits in the country and we are very pleased that members recognised how projects such as Limekiln can contribute during their debate.”
He added: “While we are looking to improve the track design, we are also looking to increase the energy yield from the wind farm by increasing tip heights in line with our Limekiln Extension project and applying state-of-the-art turbine technology.
“Even with two less turbines, this variation will still allow us to generate more renewable energy than the existing consented scheme.”
Infinergy is now awaiting both the outcome from the Limekiln Wind Farm Extension public inquiry and the minister’s decision on this variation application.
If both are successful, the projects will be built as one development.
Enabling works have already been completed following the original 2019 Limekiln Wind Farm consent and onsite felling continues this year to ensure the site is set to promptly move forward again.
Felling work is expected to last until the spring of 2022.
Delaying the main construction contracts will allow the separate forestry work to proceed unhindered.
Subject to consent being awarded, the operational date for Limekiln Wind Farm is expected to now be late 2024 at the earliest.
Together with the Limekiln Extension proposal, the wind farm has a grid connection contract in place for 106MW.
Infinergy and Boralex announced the execution of a 50-50 joint venture agreement in October 2017, aimed at developing a pipeline of onshore wind projects, including the Limekiln Wind Farm project, essentially located in Scotland for a total estimated capacity of 325MW.