The Queen’s plans to build a green power plant at her Deeside home have been halted.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority has called in her application in a special area of conservation.
Objectors had claimed that the hydro-electric scheme on a river running through her Balmoral Estate, were too noisy for the badgers, otters, and voles living nearby.
The two-megawatt turbine, on the River Muick, was expected to genearte enough electricity to suppply 1300 homes.
It would also generate an income of up to £650,000 for Her Majesty, who pays for the 50,000 acre estate out of her own pocket.
An application was lodged with Aberdeenshire Council to begin work on the extensive project which will take almost two years to construct.
It will involve a salmon ladder, and power station almost the height of a house in a special area of conservation.
Now the local authority has put the plans on hold for further examination, and said: “The proposal is for a hydro scheme which is considered to raise issues of significance to the collective aims of the National Park.”
The turbine was to have been built half-a-mile upstream from historic Birkhall, where Prince Charles and Camilla stay while on Deeside, close to the famous Linn of Muick falls.
However Aberdeenshire Council’s own environmental health department lodged a formal objection, because it may disturb protected species living nearby.
In a letter, team manager Louise Cunningham said: “I am concerned that there may be noise emission from the proposals which could be detrimental to the amenity of neighbouring noise sensitive receptors.
“Typically, hydropower turbines can emit significant amounts of noise.
“Aberdeenshire Council environmental Health hereby objects to this application until sufficient information is produced that indicates that any amenity loss is acceptable in all the circumstances.”
Yesterday a spokesman for Balmoral Estate was unavailable for comment.
