UK's largest brownfield port in redevelopment plan

A multi-million pound redevelopment of the UK's largest brownfield port has been proposed.

The port of Ardersier, about 14 miles (16km) east of Inverness, is a former North sea oil and gas fabrication yard.

The yard shut in 2001 and since then it has become a brownfield site, formerly developed and now disused land.

Fraserburgh-registered firm Ardersier Port plans to reopen the port and decommission oil rigs and manufacture offshore wind farm foundations.

It has also proposed building a £300m steel plant, partly powered by offshore wind.

The developer said reopening the port would require a nine-month-long £20m project to dredge 2.5 million cubic metres of sand - enough to fill 1,000 Olympic swimming pools.

Over five years, it then plans to build the oil rig decommissioning facility and steel plant, along with a waste from energy recovery facility.

A concrete wind turbine foundation "hub" which would use dredged sand and recycled steel in its manufacturing processes would also be constructed.

NatureScot, the public body responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, said it had been involved in various proposals at Ardersier for over a decade, advising on development and the risks of coastal change.

It said some of the latest proposals differed from earlier plans and it had not yet been formally consulted about them.

Ardersier Port, which bought the site earlier this year, already has an agreement with French renewable energy developer BW Ideol guaranteeing them exclusive access to the port for the manufacture of their turbine foundations.

Steve Regan, an owner of Ardersier Port, said: "This is a once in a generation opportunity to create a world-leading industrial and offshore wind manufacturing facility here in the UK.

"It is a simple plan where each element makes commercial sense as a stand-alone project - but when combined, the benefits to the economy, and the environment, are multiplied."

Ardersier Port said it was in discussions with Marine Scotland regarding the licence to dredge, and will consult formally with all statutory consultees regarding any future proposals for the site.

Situated at Whiteness on the Moray Firth coast, near the village of Ardersier, the brownfield site sprawls across 400 acres (162ha) and has a quay more than a mile long.

The surrounding area and sea provides habitat for seals, dolphins and birds.

NatureScot said conditions had been placed on previous plans for the site to safeguard as far as possible the important natural habitats and species.

A spokeswoman said: "The latest proposals from Ardersier Port differ from earlier versions in that they include dredging during the winter months which is the most sensitive period for protected birds.

"We are currently advising Marine Scotland and working with Ardersier Port to help mitigate disturbance issues."

She added: "The most recent proposals also include a new steel mill, concrete production plant and waste to energy plant. We have not yet been formally consulted on these new elements of the plans."

In the 1970s the McDermott Yard opened at the location for the fabrication and construction of offshore platforms for the then newly-established North Sea gas and oil industry.

At its height the yard employed about 4,500 people but it closed in 2001 as demand dropped.

In the 20 years since, various plans have been announced to put the site back into use.

There is planning permission in principle for 2,000 homes, hotel, retail and restaurant developments, community facilities and play areas on some of the land.

One of the more colourful ideas for the industrial site was using it to stage a charity music event called Rock4Life in 2010.

Its organisers announced Status Quo, McFly and Sugababes would be performing, but they later cancelled the two-day rock and pop festival due to poor ticket sales.