Harestanes West Windfarm

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Location

Harestanes West Windfarm is located northwest of the village of Ae, approximately 15 km north of Dumfries. The site is located wholly within the Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) administrative area.

Project History

This project is a result of our partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), where we have rights to investigate the feasibility of onshore renewables projects within the National Forest Estate in southwest Scotland.

The site lies to the southwest of the Harestanes Windfarm which has been operational since 2014.

Current Stage

ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) have submitted a Section 36 Application to the Scottish Government for a development consisting of 12 wind turbines between 200 and 220 metre blade tip height, with a generating capacity of approximately 84 megawatts (MW).

The proposed design has been reached following a comprehensive suite of environmental surveys and feedback from consultees and local communities. Turbine positions and associated infrastructure have evolved through an iterative design process to achieve a final layout sympathetic to environmental constraints and the surrounding landscape.

Copies of the submitted documentation can be found below in the “Project Documents” section.

Project Status

The following timeline shows the current status of the project:

Project status

Community Consultation

Early consultation is key to the way we develop projects, and throughout the development process we seek to ensure local communities and stakeholders are given the opportunity to provide feedback and are kept informed of project progress.

In June 2023, we hosted Public Information Events at Auldgirth Community Hall and Dalswinton Village Hall. These events welcomed local residents, allowing them to share their thoughts, provide feedback, and gain a better understanding of our vision for the development.

In September 2024, we held two additional Public Information Events at Ae Village and Closeburn. These sessions provided an update on the project’s progress since the initial events, offering local residents and communities another opportunity to ask questions and comment on the proposal.

Key Benefits

Community Benefit

We have been working alongside communities across the UK for nearly two decades. To date, we have awarded over £16 million in community benefit funding to Dumfries and Galloway communities through our existing projects, and over £67 million to communities in the UK as a whole.

As a responsible developer of renewable energy, we are keen for the communities surrounding this project to benefit. We are working with Forestry and Land Scotland and are seeking local community groups to engage with to develop innovative community benefit options.

With established sites nearby, we have a history of working positively with communities within the region. We are keen to ensure employment and the business skills required to maximise economic benefits can be delivered locally to ensure those who live near our sites benefit as much as possible.

If Harestanes West Windfarm is consented, we propose a tailored community benefit package. Based on the current design and an installed capacity of around 84 MW, this could provide up to £420,000 annually, totalling £16.8 million over the project's lifetime. This funding could support local aspirations and projects, generating significant economic impacts. We will consult with local Community Councils, the local authority, and other relevant stakeholders to manage the community benefit package effectively. Read more about how we engage with our communities here: Powering Communities - ScottishPower Renewables (opens in a new window).

Recreational Enhancements

In addition to the community benefits mentioned above, ScottishPower Renewables proposes the following recreational enhancements:

Promotion of family friendly biking or horse-riding routes around the windfarm using existing tracks;
Provision of information boards regarding Harestanes West Windfarm;
Support for the employment of a seasonal ranger to assist with the management of core footpaths in the area;
Electric vehicle charging points in Ae Forest Carpark;
Financial support to facilitate the purchase of E-bikes for rental at the 7Stanes Forest of Ae Mountain Biking Centre; and
Sponsorship of events in the Forest of Ae.

Economic and Employment Benefits

Harestanes West Windfarm is expected to support the provision of local public services and the investment priorities of local communities. With an operational lifetime of 40 years, the project expenditure is estimated to be £87 million, approximately £12.6 million would be spent in Dumfries and Galloway and £32.5 million within Scotland. Additionally, during its operational lifespan, Harestanes West Windfarm would contribute around £40.3 million in non-domestic rates.

By combining the direct, indirect, and induced impacts it is estimated that the development and construction of Harestanes West Windfarm will generate:

£8.8 million Gross Value Added (GVA) and support 125 years of employment in Dumfries and Galloway; and
£26.8 million GVA and 419 job years across Scotland.
£0.7 million GVA and support 6 jobs in Dumfries and Galloway; and
£1.5 million GVA and 17 jobs across Scotland.

Site Enhancements

The proposed Harestanes West Windfarm would incorporate environmental enhancements including a draft Habitat Management Plan (HMP) has been developed to mitigate adverse impacts on biodiversity and significantly enhance the local area's biodiversity. The HMP focuses on restoring 2.83 ha of degraded blanket bog, planting 15.23 ha of native broadleaf woodland, and planting 13.33 ha of native broadleaf trees in riparian habitat, providing both compensation and larger-scale environmental benefits.