Bakkafrost set to appeal over Lewis planning decision
Bakkafrost Scotland has said it will lodge an appeal over the refusal of planning consent for its proposed salmon farm in North Gravir, on the isle of Lewis.
A spokesperson for the company said: “We are disappointed by the Planning Board’s decision and intend to appeal.
“Bakkafrost has a long and proud history of operating in the Western isles.
“We have engaged extensively with stakeholders and carefully considered all feedback. This development would support the long-term sustainability of our operations in the area.”
The farm, off the coast of Lewis in the Western Isles, would have consisted of five pens and a linked feed barge.
Planning officers at the Western Isles Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, had approved the application but the council’s Planning Board argued that Bakkafrost “had failed to demonstrate that the proposed development would not result in an unacceptable exclusion of commercial fishing activity from a historically important and economically productive fishing ground”.
The Western Isles Fishermen’s Association (WIFA) had lobbied had against the proposed farm, argued that its location would restrict access for its members to important fishing grounds.
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