RES has submitted a Section 36 application to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit (ECU) for its 92MW 14-turbine Blair Hill Wind Farm proposal.
The proposal for the development, located 2.7 km north of Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway, includes a community benefit package worth more than £23m over the project’s operational lifetime.
During the construction, the project could also deliver £17m of inward investment in the form of jobs, employment and the use of local services, and a further £125m of economic activity linked to operations and maintenance and through business rates paid to Dumfries and Galloway Council, RES stated.
Coinciding with the submission, RES is holding two drop-in information sessions in March to allow members of the public to view the plans in their submitted form.
Sarah McArthur, Development Project Manager at RES, said: “We are delighted to have reached this milestone in the Blair Hill Wind Farm project and would like to thank everyone who participated in our public consultations in October 2023 and May 2024.
“The feedback we received from both the community and statutory consultees has been instrumental in shaping the final design of the wind farm.
“As part of our development plans, we propose to create a signposted, accessible heritage trail that will guide visitors through the site’s historical features, unlocking the rich archaeological heritage for the local community and tourists to the area alike.”
RES is committed to engaging universities and colleges within Dumfries and Galloway to offer learning and career development opportunities for students during the construction phase of the project, if it is consented.
The wind farm planning submission follows the delivery of an extensive community consultation programme with consultation events held in Newton Stewart, Wigtown, and Kirkcowan in October 2023 and May 2024.
A Community Liaison Group (CLG) was also established between RES and the community, to create an effective and transparent channel of communication between RES, the local community and stakeholders.