RESIDENTS and other members of the community are invited to a series of public consultations about a proposed windfarm.

The development, which will include a renewable energy park, would be located at the former Greenburn opencast coal mine.

A partnership between Kier Minerals Limited and REG Power Management will oversee the project which would comprise up to 20 turbines.

Greenburn is within East Ayrshire Council’s preferred area for wind development.

It is around 5km north of New Cumnock and approximately 3.5km from Cumnock, two of the communities which will host the public events.

Public consultations are being held at - New Cumnock Town Hall, between 10am and 1pm on Tuesday, February26.

New Cumnock Town Hall , 31-33 Castle , New Cumnock , Cumnock, KA18 4AN Cumnock Town Hall, from 2pm to 6pm, also on February 26.

Boswell Centre, Well Road, Auchinleck, between 10am and 1pm on Wednesday, February 27. Ochiltree Community Hub, from 2pm to 6pm, also on February 27.

Auchinleck and Ochiltree have also been selected as venues to enable people to view the proposals and ask questions.

They will also be able to see artist impressions of the windfarm and give feedback as well as making the project team aware of where community benefit the legacy of the coal mine site, to harness clean energy.

“We expect the development to create direct and funding should go.

Melvyn McKeown, Project Manager for REG said: “The wind farm project intends to build on indirect economic benefits including the potential for local jobs during construction and a range of contracts.”