Minutes of Tuesday 14th April 2026 - Approved
Garve and District Community Council
Added at 13:59 on 19 May 2026
Minutes of the Garve & District Community Council ordinary meeting held on Tuesday 14th April 2026 on webcam
Appoved at our meeting on Tuesday 12th May 2026
Community Council elected members present: Bob Moir (Chair) Caroline Gamble (Treasurer) and Sadie-Michaela Harris (Secretary)
Community Council co-opted members present: Simon Friend, Alistair Meikle
Also present: & Fiona Milligan (Boralex): Cllr Kraft (from 7:43 pm); James Mansfield and Steven Park (Coriolis Energy)
Apologies: Katrina Walker (Invites and updates requested THC Roads; Field; FLS.)
The Chairman opened the meeting at 7:00pm and welcomed everyone. He also confirmed that this meeting would be recorded as per the agenda and will be archived and available for viewing thereafter. He reminded members of the public that although our meetings are not public meetings, they were still very welcome to attend Community Council meetings even on webcam and take part in the discussions under his guidance (see section 12 of the Constitution) and that phones should be on silent. Those who cannot attend our meetings can, as always, write to us by post or email with any issues they wish raised at Our website gdcc.scot continues to receive a high volume of visitors per month as does our Facebook page. The Community Council area covers from Garve to Aultguish and from Garve to Achnasheen and is the only organisation that represents the whole community. We are elected by the community every four years or so and usually meet once a month. Draft minutes and a list of current members of the Community Council can be viewed at our website. We are also on social media - www.facebook.com/GarveCC
Declarations of Interest – the Chairman is a Garve Public Hall Trustee, a Friend of Garve War Memorial, a LCT elected Director and a member of the GD CORe land panel. The Treasurer noted she is a landowner with regards to the SSEN underground cable from the Western Isles to Beauly and Community Council elected member Sadie-Michaela Harris is a member of the Wyvis Natural Playpark group and Wester Ross Biosphere as is co-opted member Simon Friend. Cllr Kraft is a member of the North Planning Applications Committee at The Highland Council.
Community Council elected members confirmed that they had read all documents due to be discussed tonight before the start of this meeting.
Approval of draft minutes of the ordinary meeting held on Tuesday 3rd March 2026 via webcam were proposed without amendment by Alistair Meikle and seconded by Caroline Gamble, unanimously agreed. Minutes are available at Garve Post Office, on our website or via email. Hard/electronic copies are also available on request. Minutes will be signed by our Chairman and Treasurer in due course.
James Mansfield and Steven Park representing Coriolis Energy and ESB Energy gave a presentation and update on the proposed Glasa Wind Farm.
Unfortunately, due to technical issues they were unable to share the presentation slides, theses will be forwarded to GDCC and added to our website.
Glasa wind farm is proposed to be built on land at Strathvaich and Kildermorie Estates, approximately 9.5km north of Garve,17m north-west of Ardross and 20km north-east of Dingwall. It proposed to have 27 turbines with blade height of up to 250 with associated infrastructure and a BESS included. Consent will be by ECU with both HIC and GDCC as statutory consultees.
Matters arising –
Boralex windfarm – https://www.boralex.com – The Highland Council North Planning Applications Committee notes that the application was approved by them in January 2023. Details for the satisfaction of pre-start planning conditions are pending consideration by the planning department. No further update.
Proposed Boralex Lochluichart East BESS - https://www.boralex.com/en/projects-and-sites/storage-lochluichart-east-bess -
This received by email and confirmed by Fiona Milligan at meeting.The Lochluichart East BESS project is due to be at the next North Planning Applications committee on 23rd April; however we are still waiting for the Highland Council's Ecologist and Transport Planning teams to review the application. So, there could be a possibility this may be pushed back to the next one in June.
Kirkan Windfarm – http://www.kirkanwindfarm.co.uk - as reported previously, they are still in the phase of considering options for Kirkan and working through the various planning conditions. The Highland Council North Planning Applications Committee notes the Scottish Government issued consent on 25 July 2023 and are now awaiting submission of pre-development planning condition requirements.
No further update.
Proposed Tarvie windfarm – www.tarviewindfarm.com – No further update.
Proposed SSE Fairburn windfarm extension – https://www.sserenewables.com/onshore-wind/in-development/fairburn-extension
No further update from previous as below.
Thank you so much for getting in touch ad for your interest in the Fairburn Wind Farm Extension. I wanted to clarify that the project is still being actively scoped out by the team. The ECU has decided to remove the application from their website, which is simply due to the length of time it has spent in the scoping stage rather than any decision to halt the project.
As things progress and I receive any further updates regarding the Fairburn Wind Farm Extension, I will make sure to keep you informed. We really do appreciate you reaching out and asking about the latest developments.
SSEN Spittal – Beauly 400kV project - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/project-map/spittal--loch-buidhe--beauly-400kv-connection - 3D modelling of the proposed route can be viewed - https://www.3dwtech.co.uk/dashboard/ssen/spittal-to-beauly/portal-update/ which show they are still thinking routing the line east of Contin rather than east of Garve. SSEN plan to submit a section 37 planning application to the Energy Consents Unit in spring 2025. No further update.
SSEN underground cable from the Western Isles to Beauly – https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/project-map/western-isles No further update.
Field Corriemoillie – www.fieldcorriemoillie.co.uk No further update.
Proposed Carn Fearna windfarm – https://projects.statkraft.co.uk/Carn-Fearna
No further update from previous as below.
"Statkraft have partnered with Edinburgh Science to sponsor a series of workshops for primary schools around our projects. The first of the workshops around Carn Fearna have now taken place, with Edinburgh Science visiting St Clements in Dingwall this week. In May, they will also visit Strathgarve, Strathconon, Marybank and Strathpeffer Primaries.
In related news - www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/carn-fearna-wind-farm-connection. This is dependant on Carn Fearna approval.
The EDF Corriemoillie Education & Training Fund details can be found at https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/corriemoillie-education-training
The Highland Council updates – www.highland.gov.uk – NONE
Achnasheen Hall.
Regular meetings are being held internally with HIC regarding options and feasibility studies.
The Highland Council notes that residents should report issues directly to them by calling The Highland Council’s Call Centre on 01349 886606 or via www.highland.gov.uk/report In all cases, you will be given a reference number. The Highland Council also appreciates photos showing the actual problem.
A835 Trunk Road issues -
Accident at A835 / A832 junction Friday 10th April one hurt and one arrested. Police appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage.
Works continue CRC update on our webpage. Drone footage from George much appreciated by all.
Still no data received from recent surveys, Maree Todd office persuing.
Faults on the Trunk Road (A835) should be reported via www.bearscot.com/report-a-defect/ or 0800 028 1414. Members of the public can live track gritters on the trunk road network using Transport Scotland’s online ‘trunk road gritter tracker’. It displays the current location of gritters and where they have recently treated.
Garve & District Community Council currently has vacancies on the Community Council. The Community Council elected members consider it to be very important to have as broad a representation of our community as possible, as we cover a wide variety of community issues and to do this well, we would like members from all corners of our large area. We usually meet on the first Tuesday of the month. If you are aged 16 or over, live in the Community Council area and are on the electoral roll and would like to be considered for co-option onto the Community Council, please email mailto:contact@gdcc.scotwith your name and contact details. This update has already appeared on our online channels. LCT and the Development Company also have vacancies, contact them directly for more details.
Police update - as reported at previous Community Council meetings, anyone who wishes to raise an issue with the police are asked to call them directly on 101 at the time of the incident and make a witness statement. Video, dashcam or photo evidence is also welcomed, indeed encouraged by the police. The police can also be contacted on www.scotland.police.uk/secureforms/contact/
Treasurer’s report – No change.
Bank balance £1,956.52
Within this figure: -
· Wreath account £377.30
· Community Fund £1,452.42
· Treasurer Fund £125.80
There were no questions for the Treasurer.
AOB from Community Council members –
Help with heating for those who are dependent on oil and LPG for heating is now available.
Website www.homeheatingadvice.scot and via our webpage.
HIC have published plans for cemetery car park Garve. We have written to them advising there is no specific designated car park for the cemetery.
The parking used by school and recycling etc. We await a response.
New gate at new cemetery fitted and entrance tidied up.
Blackwater Bridge No change awaiting feedback from supplier.
Station yard
Some work been done on cleaning etc. but more needed.
Logging
Contact on vacation.
Hold up on all sides is THC. No news on playpark signage for A835.
Issues reported during walk around with Ian Moncrieff, THC Roads.
· Pothole outside hall – repaired.
· 20 mph roundels in village – outstanding.
· Matheson Road surface – outstanding.
· Matheson Road fence – outstanding.
Sadie working with National Records Office team -who did a postcode look up and explained how data is gathered and used and it showed of 286 for GDCC area. THC estimate is 299. All using 2022 Census data. The Census had a 90% return rate nationally
Sadie attended 17th March. Cyberconference- concern regarding hacking of emails and financial records and outages.
Visitor levy – new proposals from Scottish Government so further consultation required after election.
Air BnB – hotel THC legal say it is a police mater. No further news.
THC new website. Lots of issues reported.
2 x hustings in Dingwall on our website here https://gdcc.scot/news/election-hustings-2026-meet-your-candidates-20-apr-2026
Simon, Caroline and Sadie attended Police Scotland Training on Partner Intelligence Portal - 16 March
Sadie continuing working on Resilience with MRCPP / other communities working on sharing knowledge and best practice
Sadie attended THC - CC Scheme of Establishment presentation 24 March
Caroline mentioned Wade Walk on again this year post meeting link shared
https://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/news/step-up-for-wade-walk-call-as-iconic-ross-shire-challenge-re-430504/
AOB from members of the public – No members of public present. Those who cannot attend our meetings can, as always, write to us by post or email with any issues they wish raised at contact@gdcc.scot
Screening reports, scoping reports and consultations –
All Highland Council consultations are available at http://consult.highland.gov.uk/portal All Scottish Government consultations are available at https://consult.gov.scot/consultation_finder
Building warrants, planning issues and licensing issues -
Demolitio0n of old staff block completed except for reseeding of area this to be done by contractor soon.
There are no new building warrants currently being shown on The Highland Council website for our area.
No previous planning applications have been determined by The Highland Council since our last ordinary meeting.
There are currently planning applications awaiting determination by The Highland Council for our area.
House at Silverbridge revised documents submitted.
A possible planning breach can be reported at https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/180/planning_-_applications_warrants_and_certificates/170/planning_enforcement/2
All planning applications can be viewed at www.highland.gov.uk/info/180/planning_-_applications_warrants_and_certificates/143/planning_permission/4
There were no new licensing issues for us to consider this evening.
Dates of future meetings: Tuesday 12th May 2026, 7pm, hybrid.
Future meetings may be held on first Tuesday of the month tbc.
Other dates to note – AGM June 2026
As usual, our Chairman started to draw the meeting to a close by asking all present if anyone had any final questions or thoughts on anything they had heard this evening, a question he often asks throughout the meeting too. Nobody had any final questions or thoughts. Although our meetings are not public meetings, members of the public are still very welcome to attend Community Council meetings and take part in the discussions under the guidance of the Chairman (see section 12 of the Constitution). A copy of our Constitution is available in the library section of our own website and hard/electronic copies are available on request. Those who cannot attend our meetings can, as always, write to us by post or email with any issues they wish raised at contact@gdcc.scot
The Chairman thanked everyone for attending. He also thanked Community Council member Sadie-Michaela Harris for hosting the webcam session. The Chairman closed the meeting at 8:32pm.