Wealthy entrepreneur Mohamed Al-Fayed has appealed to the UK Supreme Court in his battle to stop a huge incinerator being built near his home in the Highlands.

The entrepreneur said plans for the waste plant in Easter Ross, near Mr Al-Fayed’s Balnagown estate, were an “outrageous assault” on the environment with fears that the local area could be affected by the toxins released from the site.

He told The Sunday Times recently: “I have initiated proceedings in the Supreme Court in London against the Scottish government.

“I have lived in Easter Ross for more than 40 years — it was my first home in Britain. I am determined to protect it against this outrageous assault on the environment and the wellbeing of local people. It’s mad and bad.”

Mr Al-Fayed’s case comes after a six-year fight to defeat proposals for the £43m waste plant at the Cromarty Firth industrial park in Invergordon.

It is argued that the plant would be able to process 100,000 tons of waste a year and would be able to generate electricity for 10,000 properties.

Those proposals were thrown out by Highland Council in 2009 but were approved two years ago by a planning reporter appointed by the Scottish ministers.

A judge in the Court of Session ordered a review of the decision last month following concerns about the volume of waste that would be conveyed to the site from outside of the Highlands.

Mr Al-Fayed has said the 65 metre-high chimney stack seen against the skyline of the Cromarty Firth could adversely affect tourism in the area.

The Port of Invergordon sees around 100,000 cruise passengers and crew members each year.

He said: “They don’t set sail to see a smoking chimney burning thousands of tons of rubbish.”

Mr Al-Fayed called the First Minister Alex Salmond a “donkey” for not taking local residents’ concerns into account in addition to welcoming the outcome of the independence.

Of Mr Salmond, he said: “I respected him once and believed a SNP government would put the people of Scotland first, but it is his government that is trying to curse the people of Invergordon by imposing a foul incinerator at the heart of their community.

“I hope his successor shows more common sense.”

The Scottish Government confirmed ministers have been served with papers on an appeal to the Supreme Court.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “Scottish ministers, including the first minister, had no involvement in the decision-making process.

“As the legal process is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”