Ardersier Port expansion plans see public consultation launched as pre-application notice lodged with Highland Council
The developer behind a major energy facility being built at Ardersier Port is seeking public feedback on expansion proposals.
As works are well underway to build the new Ardersier Energy Transition Facility, port owners Haventus have now lodged a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to expand the site further in the area.
This comes as the site is already set to become Scotland's largest offshore wind facility on the North Sea coast when completed, currently covering 450 acres of working space.
Plans to expand the site by 200 acres were initially revealed in January, when Haventus agreed options to acquire land next to the existing site, with a scoping opinion — which can be requested when an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is needed for the future application — for the proposed port extension requested in the same month.
Now the PAN for the development has been submitted, a pre-application public consultation has launched, with two in-person events set to take place this summer, and local communities encouraged to take part.
The cover letter related to the PAN states: “The proposed development, the subject of this PoAN, would be an extension to the consented port with the aim to enhance port facilities to provide additional operational areas within the world leading energy transition facility.
“Many of the planned activities for the extension area will be the same as were envisaged for the currently consented site, such as handling of offshore wind turbine components (nacelles, blades, tower sections, jackets), along with assembly or construction of bases, storage, and various engineering support activities.
“Manufacturing is also envisaged for the extension area, and there may also be additional light industrial or other supply chain support facilities.”
The pre-application consultation events are set to run first on Wednesday, June 11, and then on Wednesday, August 27 at Ardersier War Memorial Hall between 3pm and 7pm.
Feedback can be submitted until July 9 after the first event, with comments from the second date invited until Friday, September 5.
More information on the consultation and public engagement can be found here.
Construction on the consented scheme started in May 2024 and is due to complete before December 2025, with dredging operation commencing in March this year, and expected to be complete in July.
