Six of the 22 wind turbines already had planning permission from Dumfries and Galloway Council, according to Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has granted consent for a wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway.
The Ewe Hill project represents a £65 million investment by developer ScottishPower Renewables. The project is expected to deliver the equivalent of around 80 short-term construction jobs, with further employment opportunities likely to arise during the decommissioning process.It is also estimated that around £20 million will be spent on the construction of civil and electrical infrastructure, with ScottishPower Renewables seeking to encourage contractors to hire from local suppliers, where possible.
Over the operational life of Ewe Hill Windfarm, ScottishPower Renewables expects to deliver the equivalent of £5,000 per MW of installed capacity per annum towards community led initiatives, totalling around £6.3 million over the lifetime of the development.
“The Ewe Hill wind farm will create a significant number of jobs [and generate] power for many thousands of homes," Minister Ewing said. “Projects like this provide considerable benefits to the local community and play an important part in helping Scotland reach its target of 100 per cent of electricity demand generated from renewables."
Other sites rejected
While approval has been granted for the Ewe Hill site, an application to build a 21-turbine Rowantree wind farm near Oxton in the Scottish Borders has been refused. Minister Ewing cited noise and visual impacts to nearby residents, among other issues.
“The Scottish Government wants to see the right developments in the right places, and Scottish planning policy is clear that the design and location of renewables projects should reflect the scale and character of the landscape, as well as being considered environmentally acceptable," he explained. "That is why I have refused permission for the proposed wind farm at Rowantree, which would have brought unacceptable environmental impacts to people living in the area.”