Outcry over plans to park wind farm parts in Highland beauty spot

Findhorn is among the locations on the Inner Moray Firth where concerns have been raised

Communities along the Inner Moray Firth say they are concerned by plans to park parts for floating wind turbines at two sites just offshore.

Areas of seabed off Nairn, Culbin and Findhorn could be used as temporary anchorage for foundation base units - large platforms usually made from concrete or metal.

Developer Offshore Solutions Group (OSG) insists its Moray Flow-Park proposals are in the early stages and public consultation is due to take place next year.

But a public meeting in Findhorn heard concerns around impacts on fishing, tourism and wildlife.

Crown Estate Scotland, which manages the seabed, has given OSG a temporary agreement allowing it to start site investigations.

"It is important to reiterate that at this stage this remains a proposal only," said Mike Spain, director of marine at Crown Estate Scotland.

The units - each measuring about 100m (328ft) long, 100m wide and 35m (115ft) high - could be stored for between five to 27 days, mostly during winter.

OSG said there would be no storage during the peak tourism season in one of the two sites - Moray Flow-Park South off Nairn.

It also said units would only be anchored until they were needed for wind farms, and the activity would be regulated and licensed.

A public meeting was held in Findhorn on the plans

But Buckie-based Scottish Conservative MSP Tim Eagle, who organised Tuesday night's meeting in Findhorn, said there were "significant concerns" about potential impacts on fishing and tourism.

He said people had been fishing in the area for many years.

Mr Eagle told BBC Scotland News: "People don't feel listened to.

"What has happened is an option agreement has been given, there is work ongoing now for research in the area and communities feel they are not part of this overall project."

Katie Dyke, of Whale and Dolphin Conservation, said the Moray Flow-Park would be in a special area of conservation (SAC)

Katie Dyke, from Whale and Dolphin Conservation, said the charity supported "appropriately sited" wind farms and associated infrastructure.

But after the meeting she said: "Our big concerns here are that this development is being placed in a SAC - a special area of conservation - designated specifically for bottlenose dolphins."

Ms Dyke said in the last four years 10 different marine species had been recorded in the SAC, including harbour porpoise, humpback whale and fin whale.

Stuart Fox, of Nairn Sailing Club, said there were concerns about how the structures could impact on races and other sailing activities

Concerns have also been raised separately from the public meeting, with some local people contacting the BBC via Your Voice, Your BBC News to highlight their worries.

Stuart Fox, commodore of Nairn Sailing Club, said there appeared to be a "complete lack" of public consultation on the plans.

He said: "The flow park appears to be being presented as a done deal and there is very little that we are aware of that has happened in terms of public consultation."

Mr Fox said having the large structures in the water could mean the club's racers and dinghy sailors having to make significant detours before starting events.

"It could have a fairly profound impact on what we do," he said.

One of the two sites is off Nairn in the Highlands

OSG was invited to attend the meeting, but the company said that "under advisement" it had decided not to send staff.

In a statement, it said information on the project was available to the public and had been shared with local politicians and Highland and Moray councils.

OSG said it was also maintaining a "fully transparent" dialogue with fishing organisations, and it had commissioned an environmental impact assessment.

A spokesperson said: "A formal public consultation process forms part of the Moray Flow-Park's environmental impact assessment and will commence in 2026, with due public notice provided, fully in line with the established regulated process."

They added: "It is important to note that the proposed Moray Flow-Park is not a wind farm, will not be used for turbine construction, will reuse existing marine anchorage areas and will be used for temporary seasonal storage only, focused on the winter months.

"All activities are in line with, or exceed, environmental and maritime regulatory requirements to minimise impacts and ensure safe operations."

'Limited surveys'

Mike Spain, of Crown Estate Scotland, attended the Findhorn meeting.

Later he said: "OSG's exclusivity agreement, which runs until April 2027, allows only for a limited range of surveys of the seabed and does not prevent other activities taking place, including sailing and fishing."

He added: "Should OSG decide to submit a formal consent application, that would trigger a full process of consultation and input from Scottish government regulators.

"Such a process would ensure that local people and all relevant stakeholders have a formal opportunity to share their views with the appropriate authorities."