And this week Infinergy chief executive Charles Sandham came face to face with some of the objectors who are branding the Lochluichart proposals “a wind farm too far” in a bid to win the hearts and minds of locals still unconvinced by its merits and concerned about the visual impact of 125-metre turbines.

He also revealed plans for a forum next January at which local contractors and businesses will get the chance to find out how they can secure part of the £29 million project spend the consortium, Dutch wind farm developer Koop Duurzame Energie and property consultancy Savills, claims will be up for grabs within the Highlands and Islands over the 18-month construction period.

But with the December 8 deadline for representations on the revised proposals looming, the Ross-shire Journal has learned Infinergy’s hopes of getting approval within the next four months could be optimistic, as there is a huge backlog of proposals currently awaiting determination by the Scottish Executive.

Speaking during Infinergy’s two-day show and tell in Garve this week, Mr Sandham said, “I think what we are doing is important. We’ve seen the signs of global warming and everyone is aware of the concerns of energy shortages and security. Wind is a technology that can be done today and the turbines can be taken away after 25 years.”

Admitting the consortium would not still be interested if the scaled-down proposals didn’t remain a commercial proposition – the existing scheme lodged a year ago envisaged twice as many turbines – Mr Sandham said, “We’ve done a lot of soul-searching on the costs. I admit I would like to have done the original scheme. But we listened to what people said and we have been heartened to see some withdrawals of objections – something I did not expect.”

It is understood that around 2,000 representations have been lodged on the original 43-turbine scheme.

But Mr Sandham, who also has working experience of coal, gas and nuclear energy, claimed increasing numbers support renewable energy and pointed to Scottish Executive targets of increasing existing electricity generation from renewables from the existing 11 per cent to 40 per cent by 2020. A major advantage of the scaled-down scheme, he said, is that it can connect to the existing 132 kV power transmission line between Mossford and Beauly.

Acknowledging the “astute” use of the internet by anti-wand farm campaigners to rally support and generate objections, Mr Sandham said, “We get an endless dirge of ill-sourced emotional commentary. There has been concern about visual impact but the site is now very contained. I believe we have turned over every stone with this scheme and am confident that, if a rational decision is made, this will go ahead.”

And he said that future expansion of the scheme “is just not in our mindset at the moment”, pointing out that would require an entirely fresh application and would throw up some major technical issues on grid connections.

This week’s presentation at Garve was picketed by protesters with a different point of view.

Stop Lochluichart wind farm campaigners have appealed for ‘one last push” to take the number of objections over 2,000 by the deadline for representations.

They say revised plans for 22 turbines are no improvement on the original demand for 43.

The campaign has also revamped its website to allow new objectors to join the demand for a public inquiry.

“We can get a public inquiry but only if Highland Council recommend refusal of this wind farm. We have to convince the council that this is a wind farm too far for the Highlands and tourism,” said campaign spokesman Harry Goudie.

Another campaigner, who did not wish to be named, said many locals “feel beholden to Lochluichart estate” on which the turbines would be located.

A spokeswoman for Highland Council said, “At this point we can’t say when it will come up on the agenda.”

A Scottish Executive spokesman said there were “quite a few applications on the stocks” but said application and representations will be carefully probed before an assessment is made.

Another source within the Executive gave a stark overview of the welter of applications now in the pipeline, “If every wind farm now in the pipeline was approved, Scotland would be self-sufficient in power.”

Should the revised proposal be approved? Have your say in The Big Vote

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