Plans lodged for major wind farm's onshore facilities
Getty ImagesPlans for onshore infrastructure for a major offshore wind farm off the Western Isles have been submitted to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.
The proposed Spiorad na Mara (SnM) could generate enough power to meet the average annual electricity needs of 1.2 million homes.
Turbines would be installed about three to eight miles (5-13km) off the west coast of Lewis.
Substations and a site where cables would come ashore between Barvas and Shader form parts of the planning application.
Several possible landfall locations for the cables were looked at before a site was selected, according to the planning documents.
The preferred site was chosen because it is the furthest from homes, has limited presence of peat, lower flood risk and good access from the existing road network.
Its distance from the Clach an Truiseil standing stone and Arnol Blackhouse was also considered.
