A PUBLIC inquiry into the prospect of an underground cable being laid in East Lothian for an offshore wind farm is being held in Dunbar next week.

Neart Na Gaoithe will consist of up to 75 wind turbines and occupy an area of approximately 80 square kilometres, if given the go-ahead.

Plans for the site, 30km north of Torness, were submitted to Marine Scotland in 2012 for the offshore wind farm, with developers Mainstream Renewable Power “hopeful of a decision soon”.

The scheme is expected to create hundreds of jobs and could power as many as 325,000 homes.

East Lothian Council gave consent last year for an onshore underground cable to connect the wind farm to the National Grid.

However, there are issues surrounding the land ownership and a public inquiry will be held at Hallhill next Monday (October 20) from 10am.

A spokesman for the company said: “For the 450MW of renewable electricity that the proposed Neart Na Gaoithe offshore wind farm will generate to reach the National Grid, it is essential that an underground cable is installed between Thorntonloch Beach and the grid connection at Crystal Rig II substation in the Lammermuir Hills.

“Much of the land rights needed for the project have been secured through voluntary agreements with landowners; however, it has not been possible to secure all of the rights in this way. “Consequently, Neart Na Gaoithe Offshore Wind Limited has applied for a compulsory purchase order to secure the remaining land rights needed to install this cable, without which this green, sustainable energy – enough to power 325,000 homes in a city the size of Edinburgh – could not be connected. “An inquiry to examine the application for a compulsory purchase order has been scheduled to commence on October 20.”