Invercassley Wind Farm could inject £25.2m into local area

Fred. Olsen Renewables has submitted a Section 36 application to Scottish Ministers for a 20-turbine wind farm proposal at Invercassley in Sutherland.

The 144MW scheme, which lies approximately 4.5km north-west of Rosehall near Lairg, would deliver £720,000 each year in community benefit over the 35-year lifetime of the project and generate a Community Benefit Fund estimated at £25.2 million for the North Highland region.

The submission follows two rounds of public consultation last year, involving six separate consultation events and follow-up discussions with the community, which led to the battery storage facility being removed from the proposal in response to local concerns.

Two turbines have also been removed from the original 22-turbine layout, and the heights of two further turbines have been reduced from 230m to 200m.

Laura Bell, Project Manager, said “We would like to thank everyone who took the time to attend our exhibitions and engage with us on the proposal. Our decision to remove the battery storage in response to community feedback was not taken lightly, but the strength of feedback demonstrated how important it was to the community. Whilst we recognise that there are a mix of feelings about the proposal, we hope that the removal of the battery storage together with our other design changes has resulted in a more acceptable scheme.

“Should the proposal be consented, we are committed to consulting closely with the community on the traffic management plan to minimise impacts wherever possible, maximising the opportunities for the local supply chain, and ensuring that the long-term community wealth building opportunities are meaningful and tailored to the community’s needs.”

A range of biodiversity enhancement measures for the site are also proposed as part of the project’s Habitat Management Plan, including native broadleaf and riparian woodland planting, peatland restoration and grassland habitat enhancement.

Mr Alexander Mcaughtrie, Bonar Bridge resident, commented: “I’m very supportive of wind farms in the area, including the Invercassley proposal. I found their exhibition back in November very informative. We need these projects to help tackle climate change and the Kyle of Sutherland has a steady flow of wind most days, so it makes sense to build them here.

“The wind farms bring money into the area, support local groups, and improve the infrastructure in the area such as the roads. Invercassley is proposing peatland restoration, as well as other enhancement work, such as riparian planting along watercourses, which will also benefit the environment. I’m aware that some people don’t like the wind farms but having lived here all of my life, over 70 years, I welcome them and see the positive opportunities that they bring - and they have my full support.”

The wind farm would be capable of generating enough electricity to power approximately 118,800 households annually2 and is predicted to achieve carbon neutrality after 2.1 years (based on a grid mix) – offsetting around 107,167 tonnes per annum of carbon thereafter.

More information about the scheme is available at www.invercassleywindfarm.co.uk or by contacting the project team at communities@fredolsen.com.