The Highland Council has officially launched its new Energy Projects Mapping Tool, delivering a major step forward in transparency around renewable energy development in the region. This milestone follows a motion brought forward in September 2024 by Councillor Helen Crawford (Loch Ness and Aird), backed by a majority of councillors, 64 community councils – including Strathnairn Community Council, and over 900 members of the public via petition.
The interactive map features 1,305 records of energy-related planning applications drawn from the council’s development system. Users can explore a wide range of infrastructure projects — including wind farms, pump storage, energy storage, hydro, transmission grids, switching substations, and converter stations — using layered search options.
The Council plans to release an online training video to help users make full use of the resource. Click on the link below:
https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/198/planning_-_long_term_and_area_policies/152/energy_projects/5
Concerns remain over the lack of public information about additional transmission lines likely needed to support energy capacity already consented or in development. There’s a call for the Scottish Government and SSEN to disclose these plans in the public interest.