Wind turbine near Prince Charles’ home approved

Castle of Mey in Caithness. Proposals to build a wind turbine near the site have been approved by councillors. Picture: Hemedia

• Wind turbine situated near summer home of Prince Charles approved

• Barrogill Angus’ to be built near Prince’s Castle of Mey summer retreat in Caithness

Councillors gave the green light to Barrogill Angus’ bid to place a turbine on his farm, next to the Castle of Mey in Caithness, the late Queen Mother’s former home.

Planning permission had been rejected two years ago by Highland Council, and a subsequent appeal to the Scottish Government failed.

Mr Angus re-submitted an amended application, which was approved yesterday (Tue) by the council’s North Planning Committee.

This was despite over 50 objections, including from authors William Shawcross, who wrote and presented the BBC series Queen and Country and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, and Hugo Vickers who also wrote a biography on the Queen Mum.

Ashe Windham, the chairman of the trust that runs the Castle of Mey, and was the Queen Mother’s former equerry, the Earl of Caithness, Malcolm Sinclair, and Lady Jean Gilmour also protested.

But the committee was told many of the objectors lived outwith Caithness.

Councillor Willie MacKay said: ““For me it ticks all the boxes and is farm diversification on a very

well run farm.”

Landward Caithness Councillor Alex MacLeod said it was “a fantastic example of farm diversification”.

Councillors approved the farmer’s application for a smaller, quieter, and more powerful turbine. It is also nearer the castle than the previous application.

His revised application for a single 91-feet blade-tip height turbine - 40 feet smaller that the refused bid - producing 80kw was given the go ahead.