New town and marina proposed for former oil yard

An aerial image of the site, including the long spit which shelters the port's harbour

A new planning application has been lodged to build a town with almost 2,000 homes and a marina on the site of a former North Sea oil and gas fabrication yard.

The proposed development at Whiteness, on the Moray Firth near Ardersier, was given the green light in principle in 2007.

However, that planning permission has now expired and developer Ardersier Port Ltd has sought to renew it.

The project's masterplan also includes a school, a hotel and an adventure playground.

Highland Council planning officers have recommended councillors grant planning permission in principle.

Ardersier Port Ltd separately has approval to resurrect the 741-acres (300ha) site as a working port.

Scientific interest

The former McDermott Yard opened in the early 1970s for the fabrication and construction of offshore platforms for use in the North Sea gas and oil industry.

At its height the yard employed about 4,500 people, but it closed in 2001 as demand dropped.

The site includes a long "spit" of land, known as Whiteness Head. It shelters a harbour that lies between the spit and the main part of the former fabrication area of the site.

Highland Council planning officers said the majority of this brownfield site was reclaimed using dredged sand that was levelled behind a steel pile retaining wall.

Whiteness Head is designated a site of special scientific interest and forms part of the Inner Moray Firth Special Protection Area.

The wildlife of the area includes bottlenose dolphins and seabirds, including terns.