Flow Country Partnership to Assess Altnabreac Turbine Impact

The Flow Country Partnership will assess wind farm plans. This wind farm could impact the newly named World Heritage Site. A company wants to build seventeen turbines. Each turbine could reach 200 meters high near Altnabreac, more than twice as tall as London’s Big Ben.

The wind farm site is near Altnabreac railway station and sits on the edge of the Flow Country site. A public meeting happened in Halkirk on February 20, and people gave feedback until March 31.

The Flow Country Partnership nominated the area, calling it a fragile ecosystem critical for climate defense. This area stores vast amounts of carbon, holding more than every UK forest combined, about 400 million tonnes of carbon.

The Partnership will judge the wind farm’s potential impact, focusing on the site’s “Outstanding Universal Value.” This means its blanket bog ecology and water flow. Damage there might trigger a planning objection.

NatureScot might also assess the impact and highlight natural heritage issues. The final decision rests with the planning authority. Scottish planning policy favors protecting World Heritage sites, as outlined in National Planning Framework 4.

The Flow Country gained Unesco status in July 2024. King Charles visited the area that same month, marking it as the first Scottish site recognized purely for nature, placing it alongside sites like the Grand Canyon.

This status could bring economic, cultural, and social benefits. Altnabreac station lies near the Forsinard tower, which symbolizes the Flow Country.

The wind farm could create 130 megawatts, with its seventeen turbines reaching 200m tall, and potentially have a battery storage system. The developers expect to file a planning application this autumn. The Scottish government will decide on developments over 50MW. You can view the application on Highland Council’s website.