Applecross community left bewildered as council issue notice saying main road to village is closed - when it’s not
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A Wester Ross community has been left up in arms after Highland Council issued a notice implying the main road into the village was shut.
The local authority stated that there was a temporary prohibition of vehicles on the Bealach Na Ba which leads into Applecross from March 7 2024 until October 1 2025.
Since the notice was issued the local Inn has received cancellations of bookings and residents have been left bewildered as the road is not shut.
The notice reads: “The prohibition is required to enable underground cable laying works to safely proceed.”
The plan to bury the 26 kilometre, 33Kv cable from a hydro power station at Applecross on the coast, over the Bealach na Ba was welcomed and approved by Highland Council members at the north planning committee last year.
The cable will be buried between the Allt na Moine hydro scheme powerhouse at Lonbain, Applecross and the new Bakkafrost Indoor fish farm development at Kishorn Base, both in Wester Ross.
However, although locals were aware the cable works were taking place, they were not made aware that the Bealach Na Ba would be closed for such lengths of time.
Anne Macrae of Applecross Community Council stated: “The Bealach is very much open to all at the moment and has been for the last two months.
“Highland Council however issued a very vague and misleading notice of closure on March 28 and we are attempting to get an explanation on why.
“We have only shared it to our community Facebook page today to clarify that it is not accurate as some seeing the notice elsewhere have been cancelling bookings with local businesses such as the Inn , thinking the road is closed.
“As yet we know of no start date and hope most closures will be overnight though the road at the top of the Bealach will need to be resurfaced once the cable is put down there.
“We are also sending Highland Council Roads Department an updated list of road repairs and signage needed in the area, some of which have been requested for a number of years now.”
A meeting is being organised by Ramsay MacDonald, Foster-Turner, in Applecross Hall on Tuesday 7th May from 2-4pm when representatives of groups involved hope to give an update on what their plans are for the cable laying on the road.
A spokesperson for Highland Council said: “Planning permission has been granted to develop a high voltage connection between the Allt na Moine Hydro Scheme and the Fish Farm at Kishorn. The key driver for this project is to offset diesel generation with clean, renewable hydropower.
“In limited sections of the route, the works will require planned closures to the C1087. A ‘blanket’ Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) has been granted by Highland Council to allow closures during the period from March 2024 until October 2025. The TTRO coverage dates does not mean the road will be closed for the entire period, instead, allows flexibility for closures as required by the construction programme.
“A detailed method of works has been agreed with the Highland Council Roads Department and all closures will be notified in advance via signage, social media, and the press.
“Construction is scheduled to commence in June 2024 through to late 2025 with regular project updates provided via the Applecross community council.”
