WORK on a controversial £36m Greenock wind farm will begin soon the Tele can reveal.

Three years ago local firm 2020 Renewables - now called Forsa Energy - was granted permission for eight 110-metre high turbines in Corlic Hill.

They received the green light despite more than 700 objections.

Alasdair MacLeod​, director of renewable generation at Forsa Energy, says work is due to begin in the next few months.

Mr MacLeod said: "We are completing our pre-construction activities at present and will be in a position to confirm our construction programme towards the end of next month.

"We will be undertaking some early advance works on the access road in May and embark on full construction in late summer."

The development was initially refused by Inverclyde Planning Board after opponents raised concerns about the visual impact the turbines would have on Inverclyde, while air traffic control officials were also worried about safety for aircraft on approach to Glasgow.

But the Greenock-based firm appealed to the Scottish Government and the wind farm was given the green light in 2016.

The project was opposed by 18 of Inverclyde’s councillors, with only the SNP’s Chris McEleny and Math Campbell-Sturgess supporting it.

But in his appeal decision, David Buylla, a reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers, said the development would be ‘significant’ but not ‘unacceptable’.

Mr Buylla said: “With regard to wider visual amenity effects, there are issues of private amenity for the small number of individual properties who would be most affected.

“There would also be broader effects on the public more generally as a result of the proposal’s visibility from Greenock and other settlements.

“I conclude that visual effects on settlements, although significant, would not be unacceptable, as the proposed turbines would be visible (to varying degrees) but, even where they would be clearly seen, they would not be dominant or overly intrusive.”

It will take around a year to complete the wind farm, which will change the landscape in the hills above Greenock.

Mr MacLeod said: "Construction activity is likely to take 12 months and we will be undertaking extensive stakeholder engagement prior to the works taking place."