PUBLIC consultation on a proposal to build an electrical substation on part of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans site by windfarm company Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL) will be held in Prestonpans and Cockenzie and Port Seton over the next fortnight.

ICOL plans to ask East Lothian Council to renew planning permission in principle – which was originally granted in 2014 – for the building, which will enable it to bring energy produced by a proposed windfarm off the shore of Angus onto land and into the National Grid.

The controversial plans were originally given the go-ahead despite opposition from the Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Trust and Coastal Regeneration Alliance.

Delays to the windfarm project mean ICOL has to resubmit the application and it is holding pre-application notice events in the communities as part of the process.

Representatives of the company will be at Prestonpans Community Centre next Thursday (January 19), between 3.30pm and 8pm, and at Port Seton Centre between 3.30pm and 8pm next Tuesday (January 24) to discuss their proposals with members of the public.

Richard Copeland, Inch Cape project manager, said: “The purpose of these events is to ensure members of the local community are informed about the proposed renewal application and to provide residents and other stakeholders an opportunity to contribute their views, which will be included as part of the planning application submitted to East Lothian Council.

“Once the final details of the onshore transmission works are known, we will go through a further application process with East Lothian Council for detailed planning permission.”

Anyone wishing to comment on the proposals who cannot attend the events can contact the project team by emailing Consenting@InchCapeWind.com. The formal consultation period is until Monday, February 24.