Muirhall Energy has won the right to build larger turbines at its consented 48MW Crossdykes wind farm in in southwest Scotland.
Dumfries and Galloway Council gave the thumbs up to Muirhall Energy’s variation of consent application to build 10 machines with a tip height of 176.5 metres.
The South Lanarkshire developer was originally awarded permission in March 2018 to build 15 turbines with a 149.9-metre maximum at the site near Langholm.
Planning offers had recommended the latest request be refused but a number of the committee members highlighted the reduced visual impact and increased economic benefits from the changes.
Muirhall increased the community benefit payment of the project by 40%, meaning that local groups will have £322,000 to invest each year over the 25 year lifetime of the scheme.
The developer is also in discussion with a number of community councils over the potential for local communities to acquire up to 10% of the project.
Project manager Jason Morin said: “We have worked really closely with local communities as we developed our plans for Crossdykes and it was great to see that recognised so readily by many of the committee members.
“This is a really important project for us, and we very much intend for this to be the first of many projects where we offer local communities the opportunity to invest in and benefit from a wind farm’s success.”