Bodinglee in South Lanarkshire would have 60 ultra-efficient turbines. Its 300MW generating capacity would make the wind farm the UK’s third-largest by electricity generated.
Banks Renewables has submitted the scoping report to South Lanarkshire Council. The proposed wind farm would be situated either side of the M74 between Douglas and Abington – not far from Banks’ wind farms at Kype and Middle Muir. The site is situated on farmland owned by the Douglas and Angus Estates.
Bodinglee has the potential to deliver £80m worth of contracts to local firms, directly support around 500 jobs and displace over 150,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, said Banks Renewable.
The company said that it is keen to reproduce its successful Connect2Renewables South Lanarkshire initiative, which is currently creating employment opportunities for those living close to its Kype and Middle Muir wind farms.
It intends hosting initial consultations on the project in the first half of 2021.
Gordon Thomson, head of projects with Banks Renewables, said: “This is a big project and will make a significant contribution to Scotland reaching #netzero by 2045. Onshore wind is a proven technology and the lowest cost renewable energy, helping keep consumers’ bills low.
He added that the company strongly believes that the local communities that host its projects should benefit the most from them. “We want the local community involved right from the beginning and so have launched an online consultation so that we can hear their views from now on.”
The wind farm’s size means that there could be investment through a community fund of up to £45m over the life of the project. Thomson said that Banks wants to work with local people to ensure it delivers a long-lasting positive legacy for those living in the area.
Over the next few years Banks will be commissioning surveys of the local area as it looks to design the layout of the wind farm.
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