Consent has been granted for 13 x turbines with a tip height of up to 200m and a generating capacity of around 72.8 megawatts (MW). 
Further details of the project including electronic copies of the EIA Report document and the application and consultation process can be found using the links below.   

Project History

This project is a result of our partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland, where ScottishPower Renewables was awarded exclusive rights to investigate the feasibility of onshore wind energy projects within the National Forest Estate in south west Scotland.

Further information on renewable energy on the National Forest Estate is available on the Forestry and Land Scotland website.

The Section 36 Application was submitted in June 2019 to the Scottish Government. A Public Local Inquiry for the Application was concluded in March 2021.

Communities

Public Information Days were held in Barrhill and Colmonell in November 2018 and February 2019, along with engagement with various local Community Councils.

With established sites nearby, ScottishPower Renewables has a history of working positively with communities within the region. We are keen to ensure employment and the business skills required to maximise economic benefits can be delivered locally to ensure those who live near our sites benefit.

Through ScottishPower Renewables’ established presence in South Ayrshire, we have to-date, contributed over £5.7m of community benefits, contributing to a variety of groups and organisations.   Furthermore an additional £5.3m has to-date been delivered to communities within Dumfries and Galloway.

Design Considerations

The windfarm design has been reached through feedback from consultees and communities, where the original proposal for 15 turbines has been revised to a 13-turbine layout designed to integrate better with the surrounding landscape.

The turbines at a proposed 200 metres to tip, allow fewer to be used yet will be capable of producing around 75 – 85% of the output of the existing 60-turbine Arecleoch Windfarm.

Benefits

Installed capacity of around 72.8MW & low carbon generation of 200 - 230 GWh per year. Construction: peak employment of 120 jobs on site, with 141 wider FTE jobs. Saving around 2.42m tonnes of CO2 compared to fossil fuel generation. Annual Power Equivalent to 53,000 - 60,000 UK households. Operation: 10 - 14 FTE jobs in South Ayrshire / D&G and 10 - 14 FTE elsewhere in Scotland. Opportunities for local suppliers of goods and services. Package of community benefits to local communities, including the opportunity to invest.

• Annual Power Equivalent to 53,000 - 60,000 UK households

• Construction: peak emplyment of 120 jobs on site, with 141 wider FTE jobs

• Installed capacity of around 72.8MW & low carbon generation of 200 - 230 GWh per year

• Saving around 2.42m tonnes of C02 compared to fossil fuel generation

• Operation: 10 - 14 FTE jobs in South Ayrshire / D& G and 10 - 14 FTW elsewhere in Scotland

• Package of community benefits to local communites, including the oppertunity to invest

• Opportunities for local suppliers of goods and services

Project Documents

Please click on the links below to view the Arecleoch Extension EIA Report documents.

Contact

The Arecleoch Extension Windfarm Project Team can be contacted directly by email.