Plans have emerged for the latest Angus wind farm with the company behind the project claiming it could provide enough energy to power the equivalent of 90% of Forfar’s homes.
International renewable energy firm Enertrag, which has offices in Brechin and Dunfermline, has identified land at Douglastown, between Forfar and Glamis, as the possible site for a 12-megawatt, four-turbine scheme.
The company is looking to develop the site east of the village with landowners Euan and Susie Walker-Munro.
Representatives of the partnership behind the ‘Berrymuir’ project have met members of the local community to unveil the proposal, which Enertrag says it hopes to take forward in the planning process in the coming weeks.
Wind farm project manager Carolynne Sutherland said, “We believe engaging with the communities that neighbour our projects is an important part of the development process so we were very pleased that more than 40 people came along to our presentation.
“In particular, we appreciated the individual discussions that took place in which valuable and legitimate issues were raised by local people. This type of engagement affords us the chance to respond through meetings, exhibitions and by feasible adjustments to the project.”
She continued, “The project is at a very early stage, and an application to erect a temporary meteorological monitoring mast, to measure wind speeds on the site, will be made to Angus Council this month. Environmental surveys will be undertaken to look at all aspects of the wildlife, heritage and landscape aspects of the project.
“This information is necessary to ensure that the wind farm would make a valuable contribution towards meeting Scotland’s renewable energy targets and fulfiling our commitments to reduce emission of harmful greenhouse gases.”
Enertrag managing director Neil Lindsay said, “If consented, the Berrymuir wind warm has the potential to generate up to 12MW of clean electricity, which could power around 5000 homes which is the equivalent of over 90% of houses in Forfar.
“There will be opportunities to utilise the skills present in the local area during the construction, operation and decommissioning of the wind farm and in our two Scottish offices.
“In addition we will pay an agreed, annual charitable donation into a community development trust fund during the operational life of the wind farm. These funds would be allocated by local people to benefit local projects and organisations in the vicinity of the wind farm.”
Although the Berrymuir wind farm plan has some way to go in the official planning process, it may still vie to become the first large-scale scheme in Angus.
A site at Ark Hill, near Glamis, a few miles west of the Enertrag location, was the first project to be given the green light by councillors in 2006 but the eight-turbine scheme has not been built.
Further plans for an 11-turbine scheme on a 500-plus hectare site at Montreathmont forest near Brechin were refused in 2009 after the matter had gone to the Scottish government for determination, with a three-turbine scheme for Mountboy at Montrose also rejected by the same public inquiry.
This month, West Coast Energy subsidiary Angus Wind Energy revealed plans for seven 2.5MW turbines on the coastal fringe of the A92 dual carriageway between Arbroath and Carnoustie.