A planning application for a section of electric cable to be laid allowing renewable energy to join the national grid has been approved.
Members at a special meeting of Moray Council’s planning and regulatory services committee gave the go-ahead for a two-mile piece of underground cabling between Greenhill and Factors Park Plantation at Deskford.
The section forms part of a large line connecting offshore power to a substation at Keith, which already has planning approval.
A pre-determination hearing was held on the proposal by Moray West Offshore Wind Farm immediately before Thursday’s meeting.
Chris Newman, who was representing the applicant, told members the proposal had been put forward because they were unable to use the preferred route for the cable because an existing water main barred them from following it.
Objection not considered valid
One objection was received from John and Kathryn Canning who felt it was unnecessary for the cable to pass through their land or under their house.
However, members heard that the proposed route was around 150-metres (492ft) from their property.
Mr Newman said: “There’s no intention to install cable under their house. The cable will be laid outside their land.
“We don’t believe the objection is valid.”
The application, which was recommended for approval by officers, was unanimously agreed by the committee.