Highland Council is to raise no objection to a major hydro-electric project near Loch Ness - on the condition there are strict rules on rock blasting and the colour of a dam wall.

Under the proposals, Glen Earrach Pumped Storage Hydro scheme would use Loch nam Breac Dearga, in hills above Drumnadrochit, as an upper reservoir and Loch Ness as a lower one.

In a vote, Highland Council's south planning applications committee was split on whether to support or oppose the plans.

Committee chairman Paul Oldham used his casting vote to back an amendment to raise no objection, provided blasting took place in daytime and the dam wall was blended in with surrounding hills.

The Scottish government, which will decide if the project should go ahead, had consulted the local authority on the plans.

The developer, Glen Earrach Energy, said its project was an opportunity to create jobs and provide nationally important energy infrastructure.

Council officials had recommended the committee raise no objection.

But Highland Independent councillor David Fraser said renewable energy schemes had to be built "in the right place and the right way".

He said the impacts on areas of natural beauty and local communities outweighed the benefits Glen Earrach would bring.

Scottish Green councillor Chris Ballance suggested the committee raise no objection, but with added conditions.

He said there was "much to dislike" about the proposals, including what he described as a lack of detail.

But he added there was a need for renewable projects.

Ballance's amendment was voted through.

During the debate, councillors heard the project would take eight years to construct.

On the busiest days there could be 178 lorry movements per day on local roads to and from the site, as well as barges on Loch Ness removing excavated rock.

A camp for a thousand workers would also be created near the upper reservoir.

Councillors raised concerns about damage from lorries to local roads and the loss of native woodland.

Planning officials said there would be a "wear and tear" agreement on repairs to roads, and impact on woodland had been reduced as far as possible.

Highland Alliance councillor Duncan Macpherson asked what efforts would be made to camouflage the dam's outer wall.

Officials said there was a possibility the stone face could be seeded with moss and lichens, but this would be dependent on how steep the wall was.

In a submission to the committee, Scotland's nature body, NatureScot, said the development could go ahead subject to conditions.

These include improvements to Ness Weir, also known as Dochfour Weir, which plays a part in controlling water levels on the loch, River Ness and Caledonian Canal.

Before the meeting, Ness District Salmon Fishery Board director Brian Shaw said the hydro-electric scheme's effect on water levels would cause "irreversible" damage to the ecology of the loch and river.

He told BBC Scotland News the "industrialisation" of Loch Ness would also harm its world-wide reputation as one of the most popular visitor destinations in Scotland.

Roderick MacLeod, director of Glen Earrach Energy, said the company was "extremely grateful" for the planning committee's support.

He said: "Glen Earrach is a major opportunity for the Highlands.

"It can create jobs and investment, deliver lasting benefits for local communities and provide nationally important energy infrastructure that will serve Scotland for generations."

MacLeod added: "Today's support is an important step forward, and one we do not take for granted."

Pumped storage involves two bodies of water at different heights.

The water flows from one to the other through tunnels, passing through a power station inside a cavern which has been created by hollowing out part of the mountain.

When there is low demand for electricity from consumers and/or when surplus power is available from wind farms, electricity is used to pump water from the lower level to fill a reservoir further up the hill.

The water can then be released from the upper reservoir, flowing down the tunnels to drive turbines which generate hydro-electricity.

This happens at times of high demand, or when there is not enough wind to power wind farms.

The UK has four existing pumped storage projects - Cruachan and Foyers in Scotland, and Dinorwig and Ffestiniog in Wales.

However, a large-scale pumped storage scheme has not been built in the UK for about 40 years.

In June last year, councillors objected to plans for another new hydro scheme that would draw water from Loch Ness to generate electricity.

Statera Energy's pumped storage hydro project would involve constructing a power station and tunnels at Loch Kemp near Whitebridge, about 10 miles (16km) north of Fort Augustus.