Plans for three more wind farms with a total of 50 turbines have been officially lodged for the Isle of Skye. The move comes amid a formal inquiry into controversial plans to double the size of turbines on the island at the Ben Aketil wind farm, between Portree and Dunvegan. The fresh plans include building 33 turbines at a height of 200m at Glen Ullinish; nine turbines reaching 150m at Balmeanach; and a redesign of the Ben Sca wind farm, which was originally consented to in 2020, but has been redrawn to include eight turbines reaching 150m. Scottish public need to ‘catch up’ as Scotland required to double onshore wind in five years, industry says All three wind farm developments saw a reduction in the number of turbines initially proposed following feedback from Highland Council and NatureScot before they were officially lodged this week. Developer for Ben Sca and Balmeanach, Wind2, said it had worked with local communities on shared ownership schemes. The proposed developments are all within the same area of the island as Ben Aketil, which has been at the centre of a public inquiry in Portree this week. Its developer, Nadara, lodged plans to repower the turbines, replacing the existing 12 100m turbines with nine at 200m high. The proposals have been met with backlash from members of the local community and were objected to by Highland Council, which triggered a public inquiry. Councillors rejected the plans on the grounds that it gives rise to 鈥渦nacceptable landscape and visual effects鈥 to parts of the island. Concerns raised by members of the community include the impact on local infrastructure, including a projected increase in lorries on roads already subject to traffic jams with high numbers of motorhomes and campervans visiting throughout the year. Other objections included wildlife disturbance and the potential impact on the tourism industry. Members of the Skye Wind Farm Information Group (SWIG), a body representing members of the island community at the inquiry, also complained about the 鈥渟alami slicing鈥 of applications on the island. Landowner Charles MacDonald, who owns a farm and crofting land on the Hebridean island, questioned the promised economic benefit of the project to the locals, such as bringing in jobs, and described existing community benefit funds as 鈥減itiful鈥. Last month, The Scotsman reported on Nadara鈥檚 accounts from Companies House records, with figures showing in the 16 years from when the wind farm was commissioned to December 31, 2023, the development had generated a turnover of about 拢139 million, with profits of just over 拢60m in that same timeframe. Of this profit, records show almost 拢51m had been paid in dividends to the company鈥檚 shareholders. Meanwhile community donation paid by the company to local groups on Skye was 拢732,000. This equates to 拢1,685 per MW of installed capacity, falling significantly short of the Scottish Government鈥檚 guidance of 拢5,000 per MW of installed capacity. Nadara representatives said they would be looking to put forward 拢5,000 per MW to the community, which they said 鈥渨ill be a significant increase on what the current contribution is鈥. Experts in energy infrastructure in Scotland, however, have previously said the 拢5,000 per MW figure was decided in 2014 and has not updated with inflation. They predict the figure should at least be more like 拢7,000 today. Finley Becks-Phelps, UK head of development for Nadara, said the company wanted to work with residents on the island and give 鈥渢angible benefits鈥. Speaking to The Scotsman after the community hearing at the inquiry, he said he took on board residents鈥 concerns about how developers needed to collaborate better together, including those working in transmission projects. Daniel Letch, project manager for Ben Aketil, said the development had provided community benefit funding each year. He said the company was the first in Scotland to offer people the opportunity to invest in their local wind farm by setting up Isle of Skye Renewables Co-operative, which has 570 members who receive an annual financial return from the wind farm.