D-day for Kishorn Port expansion plan
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Councillors will be asked to decide next week whether to allow Kishorn Port to extend its dry dock.
Kishorn Port in Wester Ross announced last year it wanted to add the breaking up of ships to its portfolio of activities with an extension to its 160-metre diameter dry dock to allow it to deal with vessels up to 250 metres in length.
Officers at Highland Council are recommending members of the north planning committee grant approval of the scheme on Tuesday.
Kishorn Port Ltd (KPL) previously said it had received numerous inquiries from companies for the decommissioning of vessels and the construction required for the extension would provide a jobs boost.
They added: “Kishorn Port has not developed at the pace that might have been hoped... primarily due to slow progress by the offshore wind sector.
“As such the benefits of construction in terms of jobs, and direct and indirect benefits to the local economy are being realised at a lower level, but over a long time period.
“The construction of the dry dock extension will continue to provide socio-economic benefit to...the Highland economy.”
In the report for councillors a total of 47 objections representing 43 households are noted, along with 16 supportive submissions and one general comment, though none are said to have met the deadline for representations.
Among objectors was Plockton and District Community Council which said the proposal represented a significant departure from the existing use of the port and raised concerns about the impact on fishing and pollution.
Among individual objectors Kurt Larson said: “The potential exists for KPL to allow numerous vessels to swing at anchor in Loch Kishorn, creating visual impact during the day, light pollution at night, excessive noise levels virtually 24 hours per day, along with environmental and operational hazards.
“Highland (Council) should be seeking formal reassurances from KPL that they will not turn Loch Kishorn into another Cromarty Firth.”
Recommending approval, planning officer Claire Farmer said: “Kishorn Yard is a key national industrial asset which has benefited the local economy and could continue to do so through its expansion.”
She added any permission would require potential adverse impacts to be mitigated, including with regard to noise and pollution.
“Subject to appropriate planning conditions being applied, the proposal for the extension to the dry dock to permit the decommissioning of larger marine structures and shipping vessels is broadly acceptable,” she said.
