Wind farm by Aviemore and Kincraig could generate more than £26m for local communities
Plans for a large wind farm involving a partnership of three local estates which could generate more than £26m for surrounding communities over its lifetime have officially been submitted.
The application for Highland Wind Farm - comprising up to 24 turbines with five with a maximum height of 230 metres to blade tip - has now been lodged with the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit.
The joint venture between Ampyr Energy and ESB - along with landowners Alvie & Dalraddy, Dalmigavie and Dunachton estates - is earmarked for a site given as five kilometres south-east of Farmhouse, Tomatin.
It falls within the Kincraig community council area.
The wind farm, if approved, would operate for up to 35 years and backers have said the community benefit payments would be ‘in the order of £665,000 per year’ and equivalent to £26.6m over its lifetime.
Fourteen of the turbines will have a maximum blade tip height of 200m.
Also part of the application are a battery energy storage system facility, access tracks, borrow pits, a substation, control building, cabling, temporary and construction compounds.
Highland Wind Farm Ltd will be hosting a third round of drop-in exhibitions which get under way next Wednesday (May 8) at Kincraig, with Tomatin to follow the next day.
The application now lodged with the Energy Consents Until will be available to look at in detail. The deadline for comments is fast-approaching - May 15.
“It’s a joint event with a few of the other developers who have applications in just now,” explained project spokeswoman Fiona Milligan.
“Essentially, now that the application has been submitted the further open days will give local people the chance to view the hard copy application documents and ask questions of the application before the deadline for the Energy Consents Unit consultation period closes.
The project team will be on hand to answer questions.
Ms Milligan continued: “At the Tomatin event, I think we’ll have representatives from Gallileo, Fred. Olsen and RES.
“Anyone with a live application who can make it – we are currently finalising details with them.
“We know it’s a slightly unusual thing to do but we’ve found that visiting the community once the application is submitted and with actual hard copy documents to refer to helps people pinpoint the things that they are really interested in and where those elements can be found within the documents.”
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It is understood that local community councils have yet to submit their formal positions to this latest wind farm.
The site stretches to an area which includes some of that initially intended for the controversial All Duine project of a decade ago submitted by another energy provider and eventually refused.
The project leaders have said that other benefits from the proposed project are:
• 560 hectares of peatland restoration;
• riparian habitat enhancements including woodland planting, montane scrub planting of juniper and dwarf birch;
• access and recreation enhancements including connectivity of local routes;
• £44.3m gross value added and the equivalent of ‘480 years of employment in the Highlands during development and construction’.
Kincraig’s event takes place at the community hall next Wednesday (May 7) from 1pm to 7pm. Next Thursday’s event (May 8) will be held at The Strathdearn, Tomatin, from 1pm to 7pm.
For onshore wind farms exceeding 50 megawatts (MW), Scottish Ministers are responsible for approvals.
All of the application documents can be found at www.highlandwindfarm.co.uk
What are the applicants saying on community spin-off for Badenoch and Strathspey?
The Scottish Government guidance for the community benefit spin-off is £5,000 per MW of operational generating capacity.
This means Highland Wind Farm would generate around £650,00 per year over the lifetime of the project subject to approval and the final number and capacity of the turbines.
The company has said in its information on the project: “We want to try to ensure that the funds help the surrounding communities achieve their ambitions to become more resilient and sustainable in the long term.
“We will work with communities to ensure a suitable body is in place to manage the proposed funds.”
The only such cashpot benefitting local communities at present is through the Berryburn wind farm with Grantown, Cromdale and Advie and surrounding areas eligible to apply for funds.
The recently approved Ourack Wind Farm both of Grantown will also have a community benefit fund and there is expected to be a consultation on the qualifying area and criteria.
What do you think about plans for this latest windfarm on the doorstep of Badenoch and Strathspey? Let us know at editorial@sbherald.co.uk
