Three “met masts” approved by OIC planning committee

Orkney Islands Council’s planning committee earlier this week approved three applications, each for the temporary erection of meteorological masts at Orkney’s coastlines.

The applicant for the masts, Hoolan Energy, has stated that the masts will gather data on wind speed and direction in order to provide an accurate understanding of the key wind characteristics at the sites.

It was approved at the committee meeting, which took place last Wednesday, that the masts can stand at the three areas — near Costa Head in Birsay, near Hesta Head in South Ronaldsay and near Halcro Head also in South Ronaldsay — for a maximum of 18 months.

There was one objector to all three of the applications and two councillors had called them before the committee on the grounds of the sites being close to proposed wind farms.

For a full report see next week’s edition of The Orcadian.