A councillor has warned the local authority is taking a risk by breaking with protocol to reconsider controversial electricity substation plans.
It has asked all its 80 members to take part in the fresh assessment of SSE’s proposals for a 40ft tall structure at the Garbole beauty spot near Tomatin.
The decision had previously been in the hands of 27 councillors who attended an initial site visit in September.
But the process turned to farce when many complained they could not properly judge the scheme because they were not taken within a mile of the site and data they received was incomplete.
Another site visit was arranged but did not take place because too few elected members were available to attend.
Another attempt will be made tomorrow – with an open invitation to the whole of Highland Council.
City member Ken Gowans said last night: “This is a national planning application and we must ensure it is determined through a robust procedural process.
“It was agreed at full council that the meeting be adjourned and continue at a later date.
“The meeting is now being rerun from the start without agreement and I feel there’s a risk any decision may be open to challenge on that basis.”
The SNP member has registered his concerns with both the council’s convener Isobel McCallum and a local authority solicitor.
He added: “I feel an agreement to begin the process again could have been reached at the last full council, removing any uncertainty around any legitimacy of process.
“This is a very contentious application in my ward and many people have expressed very real fears, so I want to ensure that any decision that’s reached is fair and robust.”
A spokeswoman for the council said: “As it was not possible to arrange a quorate meeting of those members that had attended the original site visit, the convener was forced to take a pragmatic decision to ensure the planning application could be determined without further delay.
“While it’s always open to an applicant to appeal a decision, the right to challenge a procedural matter such as this is limited.
“We’re confident that, faced with the prospect of a quorate meeting not being convened without considerable further delay, the convener’s decision was both necessary and reasonable.”
