AN extensive community consultation is to step up a gear to help shape what will become one of Scotland – and Europe’s – most powerful and efficient onshore wind projects.
Representing a major investment, the up to 40-turbine Bodinglee Wind Farm will provide an opportunity to drive a positive social, economic and environmental legacy for South Lanarkshire.
The proposed wind farm has the potential to generate over 280MW of clean green electricity, equivalent to powering all the homes in South Lanarkshire and Motherwell combined or taking 54,000 cars off the road[1]. This would also make considerable progress toward Scotland’s energy security and Government targets to reach net-zero by 2045.
Following early discussions with local community councils, developer Banks Renewables has already scaled back proposals by reducing the boundary to the southeast of the site. It is now using the upcoming online and in-person consultations, starting from July18th, to further develop its proposals, which it will present back to the community later in the year for further consultation.
Gordon Thomson, Head of Projects at Banks Renewables, said: “Given the scale of Bodinglee and the potential for it to deliver deep and broad benefits for the region and Scotland as a whole, it’s vital we continue our discussions with the local community throughout the process.
“We are listening. We want to hear local views on the design of the project and how it can benefit the local community. The scale of this project means that, working in partnership with the communities, we can think big and potentially address hard to tackle issues like fuel poverty, regional unemployment and the wider regeneration of nature. This is a great opportunity for people living locally to help shape plans for the project and the benefits that it could bring to communities in the area and beyond.”
The wind farm is set to sit on the south east of Douglas in South Lanarkshire across both sides of the M74.
If consented, Bodinglee Wind Farm will generate approximately £56million over its planned lifetime in community funding, an important priority for Banks Renewables. Banks will also renew their commitment to working with local suppliers through the Connect2Renewables initiative. This should result in around £475 Million going into the Scottish Economy during the project’s lifetime with over £162 Million of that in South Lanarkshire.
The events will be held from 2pm-7pm at Rigside Community Hall in Rigside on Tuesday 19 July, St Brides Centre in Douglas on Wednesday 20 July and Roberton Hall in Roberton on Thursday 21July. Alternatively, members of the area local to the Bodinglee Wind Farm site who can’t make the in-person consultations are encouraged to register for a telephone or video call.
As part of the consultation process, Banks Renewables’ is looking to the community to give their views on developing Bodinglee Wind Farm together with the Banks project team to create transformative change within the area on issues such as fuel poverty, green jobs and skills and restoring nature.
Following on from the consultation events, Bodinglee Wind Farm will go through the design and planning process, with construction targeted to start between 2026 and 2028, subject to planning approvals. Banks Renewables are aiming to have the wind farm operational by 2029.
For more information on Bodinglee Wind Farm and the consultation events, please visit https://www.banksgroup.co.uk/projects/renewables/bodinglee-wind-farm/
For more information on Banks Renewables, please visit; https://www.banksgroup.co.uk/renewables/
[1]Each car is representative of the average UK medium sized petrol car and was calculated using BEIS GHG conversion factors.
