Plan for Highlands wind farm using Motherwell-made towers

The wind turbine towers could be manufactured in Motherwell

Planning permission has been sought for a £158m, 39-turbine wind farm in Glenshero in Badenoch and Strathspey.

Simec Energy, part of the GFG Alliance which owns an aluminium smelter at Fort William, has proposed the 168 megawatt scheme for a site near Laggan.

Under the plans, steel for the turbine towers would be rolled at GFG's Dalzell plant in Motherwell.

It has been proposed that the towers could be fabricated at a neighbouring planned new facility.

Plans for the wind farm have been submitted to Highland Council.

Renewable energy company RES has been chosen as the developer for the project.

If approved, the farm would generate electricity for Scottish industry, including the smelter.

An initial proposal for the project, announced a year ago, involved constructing 54 turbines.