Wind Farm Projects secure Section 36 Consents

In November 2021, the Scottish Government granted consent to 6 wind farm projects in Scotland. BiGGAR Economics supported the application of 5 of these projects.

These five projects will have a combined installed capacity of 550 MW. BiGGAR Economics supported these projects by providing bespoke economic analysis and working with the developers to maximise the local economic benefit of the projects.

Strathy South Wind Farm

Strathy South Wind Farm is being developed by SSE Renewables and will have an installed capacity of up to 208 MW. BIGGAR Economics have supported SSE Renewables through multiple iterations of this project and most recently assessed the economic impact of the revised scheme and the areas where the impact would differ from the Consented Scheme.

The revised Strathy South Wind Farm was granted consent by the Scottish Government on the 24th November 2021.

Douglas West Wind Farm Extension

Douglas West Wind Farm Extension is being developed by 3R Energy, in partnership with Scottish Power Renewables and will have an installed capacity of up to 78 MW. BiGGAR Economics assessed the socio-economic, recreation and tourism impacts of the proposed development and drafted the relevant chapter in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

Douglas West Wind Farm Extension was granted consent by the Scottish Government on the 18th November 2021.

Cumberhead West

Cumberhead West Wind Farm is also being developed by 3R Energy, in partnership with Scottish Power Renewables and will have an installed capacity of up to 126 MW. BiGGAR Economics assessed the socio-economic, recreation and tourism impacts of the proposed development and drafted the Socio-economics, Tourism and Recreation Chapter of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

Cumberhead West Wind Farm was granted consent by the Scottish Government on the 17th November 2021.

Whitelaw Brae Wind Farm

Whitelaw Brae Wind Farm is being developed by BayWA r.e. and will have an installed capacity of up to 57 MW. BiGGAR Economics provided input for the Public Inquiry covering issues related to socio-economic impacts and tourism. As a result of the Inquiry, Scottish Ministers granted consent to the project in 2017.

Taking all matters into account, we find that we have been provided with no convincing evidence of a link between turbine deployment and detrimental impacts on tourism. We find that the proposal would be likely to have some positive, but not significant, socio-economic benefits at the national, regional and local levels, as a result of direct employment and spin-off benefits, particularly during the construction phase.

Scottish Government Reporters (Aug 2017) Case Reference WIN-140-4

The project was resubmitted to the Energy Consents Unit to request a variation in the operational lifetime of the wind farm.

The increased operational life of Whitelaw Brae Wind Farm was granted consent by the Scottish Government on the 23rd November 2021.

Stranoch 2 Wind Farm

Stranoch 2 Wind Farm is being developed by EDF Renewables and will have an installed capacity of up to 84 MW. BiGGAR Economics assessed the socio-economic and tourism impacts of the proposed development and drafted the relevant chapter in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

Stranoch 2 Wind Farm was granted consent by the Scottish Government on the 24th November 2021.