A public drop-in session is taking place in New Cumnock tomorrow (May 29) for redesigned plans for a wind farm near the village.

Greenburn Wind Energy Park is a proposed development outside of New Cumnock, by REG Power Management Ltd and its project partner, ESB.

The public consultation is being held to display a redesign of the site, which will see a reduction in the planned number of turbines - and an increase in height for those which the company still hopes to build.

The original application for a wind farm and battery storage facility adjacent to the former Greenburn opencast coal mine near New Cumnock, was given approval by Scottish ministers in April 2023.

The original plans would have seen 16 turbines built, but the revised proposals contain only 14.

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Since the initial approval, REG Power Management Ltd and ESB say, construction costs have greatly increased.

It also says a neighbouring wind farm, currently under construction, will affect the energy generation capacity of several of Greenburn’s consented turbines.

REG and ESB are therefore proposing revisions which they say will improve the generating capacity of the Greenburn Wind Park as well as reducing construction costs to keep the project commercially viable.

REG and ESB are proposing the following revisions:

  • Reducing the number of turbines from 16 to 14
  • Increasing the consented turbine blade tip heights of 11 turbines to 180m and of three turbines to 167.5m
  • Fitting six of the 14 turbines with visible aviation lighting which is subject to CAA and MOD approval. 

 A drop-in public exhibition is being held on May 29 at New Cumnock Town Hall between 11am and 6pm.

This will allow locals to see how the scheme has changed, ask any questions, see new visualisations and meet the team behind the plans.