Developers progress plans for 42-turbine onshore wind farm

Developers hoping to construct a 42-turbine wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway have submitted a scoping report to the Scottish government ahead of a planning application.The North Lowther Energy Initiative (NLEI), a partnership between landowner Buccleuch and renewables developer 2020 Renewables, is formulating proposals for the scheme to be located to the north west of Wanlockhead.According to a statement from NLEI, the scoping report details the layout of the 42 wind turbines at the site, alongside a summary of planning policy relevant to the development and details of the proposed topics to be considered during the environmental impact assessment process, setting out survey and assessment methodologies.The statement added that once Scottish ministers have received and considered comments in response to the scoping report, they will provide NLEI with a formal scoping opinion, detailing the topics they wish to see considered during the EIA process and included as part of any planning application.NLEI said that a planning application would “most likely” be submitted towards the end of 2016.