Highland Council’s north planning committee has granted permission for a new fish farm brooding facility near Dundonnell.
The application, from Wester Ross Fisheries (Mowi), sought to replace the old hatchery building at Little Loch Broom and build four new steel-framed buildings in its place. These would be accompanied by an office, car park and landscaping.
However, the buildings are much higher than the original hatchery, and closer to the road. The application sparked 11 objections from local residents concerned about the visual impact of the fish farm.
Nationally significant development
While Mowi’s application is for a small local fish farm, council planners say the development has national significance.
The fish farm will operate as a brood stock facility. Brood stock fish are adult salmon which produce fertilised eggs. The sea pens on site will be used to rear these fish to maturity, and they will then be transferred to the brood stock farm, culminating in the harvesting and fertilisation of eggs.
Highland Council planners say the fish farm has national significance in securing the supply chain of fertilised eggs for Scottish fin fish aquaculture. There were three comments of support for the application, with some stating the importance of aquaculture following the Norway import ban.
Concerns over visual impact
However, 11 residents raised objections. These mostly related to the visual impact of the fish farm and concerns about potential pollution to the loch.
The planning report confirms that the new buildings will be up to 10 metres tall, compared to the existing hatchery, which is 4 metres tall. The biggest new building will be 40 metres closer to the road than the current facility.
To make way for the new development, Wester Ross Fisheries will need to remove the screening trees at the bottom of the slope. The applicant intends to add more roadside tree screening and also compensatory planting down the slope.
However, the council report acknowledges that people will be able to see “glimpses” of the fish farm from the A832. Residents living to the south and east along the loch will also have views of the fish farm.
‘Much needed employment’
Despite local concerns, none of the official consultees raised any objection, and Highland Council recommended the application for approval.
Council planners noted that the area already has fish farm operations on site, and said the applicant had given sound reason for locating the fish farm in Ardessie.
Local members agreed. Councillor Biz Campbell offered her support to the application, while Liz Kraft said:
“I welcome this development, which will create much needed employment in the area. There are no objections from statutory consultees and I’m happy with the mitigations in place.”
North planning committee granted unanimous approval for the Ardessie fish farm.
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