A pre-inquiry hearing in Dunoon has pencilled in January 20-29 as the probable date for the inquiry, which is expected to take place in the Queen's Hall in the town.

Philip Norris of Cowal and Renewable Energy Sense (CaRES), which is opposing the application, told us that the appellant, West Coast Energy, based in the Welsh town of Mold, had appointed a London QC, John Hardy, to represent them, but that the objectors and Argyll and Bute Council - whose Bute and Cowal members voted unanimously to turn down the plans in January of this year - did not yet have a QC.

Mr Norris also told us no-one from Bute was present at the pre-inquiry hearing on September 23.

West Coast Energy submitted an appeal against the original decision on February 28, although the application was shrouded in controversy after a lengthy petition supporting the plans, and including signatories from Mississauga in Ontario, Solignac in the Limousin region of France and a box number in Dubai, was received by the council a few days after the 2007 Cowal Highland Gathering.

The original application was for a development of 14 wind turbines, each 125 metres high, along with wind monitor masts, sub-stations, temporary compounds and offices and underground cabling.

But councillors turned down the plans amid strong local feeling that Bute and its tourist economy would suffer from what they called an "intrusion" into the visual landscape.