Council officials are set to give the nod of approval to a 49-turbine wind farm at North Kyle between New Cumnock and Dalmellington.

The proposed development was revised to 49 turbines from the originally proposed 54.

Scottish Ministers, who ultimately decide the outcome of large wind farm applications, consulted East Ayrshire Council on the proposed 2,061 hectare development.

The issue will be discussed at a meeting of the Planning Committee this Friday, January 15 where council officials have recommended that councillors do not object to the proposal.

The wind farm, proposed by Edinburgh-based energy company Brockwell Energy, who develop on former coal mining sites, will have an installed capacity of 205.8MW.

Some of he turbines, reaching up to150m in height, will be visible from locations in the East Ayrshire lowlands, as far as Dumfries House.

Council officials said that these impacts had been taken into consideration, adding: “In balancing those matters, it is considered that the positive aspects of the proposal, namely the contribution to renewable energy targets and climate change mitigation, economic benefits and improvement to public access outweigh the adverse landscape and visual impacts.”