Green Burn Wind Farm, Newsletter #1, August 2014

ABO Wind UK’s first operational wind farm at Lairg, Sutherland
Green Burn Wind Farm, Newsletter #1, August 2014
Welcome
ABO Wind UK Ltd is considering the submission of a planning application for a wind farm located
on land at Blackhall Farm and Sheildrum Farm, close to Bridge of Cally, Perth and Kinross. This
newsletter aims to provide relevant information on what’s being proposed and forms part of what
we hope will be an on-going consultation process with members of the local community and other
stakeholders.
Green Burn Wind Farm
The proposed development site for the Green
Burn Wind Farm is located on land at Blackhall
Farm and Sheildrum Farm, approximately 11km
north west of Alyth and 5km north-east of
Bridge of Cally. This is immediately adjacent to
the existing Drumderg Wind Farm.
ABO Wind UK Ltd identified the proposed
development site through a careful selection
process which considered access, wind speed
potential, aviation impact, special landscape
designations, characteristics of the site, special
environmental concerns and the availability of a
grid connection.
www.greenburnwindfarm.co.uk
Approximate Green Burn proposed development area
OS Licence number: 0100031673
The Proposal
At this stage, the proposed development site could accommodate up to a maximum of 14 turbines,
which, typically, could have an installed capacity of up to 26 Megawatts. This number is indicative
at this present stage and is dependent upon the local wind resource as well as other site-specific
technical issues. Turbine size is envisaged to be up to a maximum of 120m to blade tip height – slightly
larger than the existing turbines at Drumderg, but sited on ground which is lower in height. It is
anticipated that the wind farm would be connected to the electricity grid via the substation at Coupar
Angus. Further environmental investigations are presently being undertaken, however many more
studies are required to be carried out until any firm proposals, designs and turbine numbers can be
confirmed and brought forward for public exhibition.
As part of the development process, we have requested a Scoping Opinion from Perth and Kinross
Council to help us identify the scope and content of the Environmental Impact Assessment studies
that will need to be undertaken to accompany a planning application. A copy of the Scoping Opinion
will be available to download from the project website at www.greenburnwindfarm.co.uk once this
has been received.
ABO Wind UK Ltd has been granted planning permission by Perth and Kinross Council for a temporary
80m meteorological mast on land at Blackhall Farm and Sheildrum Farm, Alyth. The temporary mast is
designed to measure wind speeds across the proposed development area and will be in place for 3 years.
Part of the proposed Green Burn site looking north west
Next Steps
ABO Wind UK has already started a comprehensive programme of early consultation with relevant
bodies and individuals, inviting comment and input from interested parties. We hope to establish
a Community Liaison Forum comprising representatives of local community councils, interested
neighbours and local businesses. We will continue to ensure that the local community is kept
informed through newsletters, public exhibitions, and meetings, in order for us to meet local residents
to discuss our proposal.
Feedback received during the public consultation process will be reviewed and considered as part of
the preparation of a formal planning application. The application determination process would likely
last a number of months and during this period, there would be further time for consultation with
various organisations and members of the public so that they have a chance to make their views
known before any decision on the development is taken.
ABO Wind is committed to working with local stakeholders at all stages of the development process
to ensure that the proposals can secure a lasting benefit to the local community and environment. We
are happy to hear from you, whatever your views on the proposals, using the contact details at the end
of the newsletter.
Green Burn Environmental Impact Assessment
The Environmental Impact Assessment is expected to cover the following key areas:
Landscape and Visual Impact
Ornithology
Ecology
Aviation
Socio-Economics, Recreation and Tourism
Traffic and Site Access
Cultural Heritage
Noise
Geology, Hydrology & Hydrogeology
Electromagnetic Interference and
Telecommunications
Sheep grazing in the shade of an ABO Wind turbine
Green Burn Wind Farm Programme
The table below provides an approximate programme for the development of the project.
Stage
Date
Scoping Response
August 2014
Environmental Impact Assessment Studies
Throughout 2014
Public Consultation Process
Throughout 2014 and early 2015
Public Exhibitions
November 2014
Planning Application Submission
February 2015
Determination of Planning Application
Late 2015
Construction of Wind Farm (Subject to Consent)
2016
Wind Farm Operation (Subject to Consent)
2017
(The above dates represent the best case scenario)
Community Benefit
In line with standard industry practice, communities around the proposed Green Burn site will
be able to access funds to invest in local projects if the wind farm is constructed. How this will be
allocated will be discussed between the Community Liaison Forum and ABO Wind. ABO Wind is
committed to a figure of £5,000 per installed megawatt capacity per annum for this fund. At this
stage, we welcome all ideas about how this fund could best benefit the local communities around
the site.
In addition, local businesses could benefit from contracts during the construction period, which
will likely last a number of months. Contracts will be put out to tender and we will be holding
Meet the Buyer events to introduce ourselves to the local supply chain. Details of these will be
announced in due course. In the meantime, please refer to the ABO Wind UK website in order to
register an interest in working with us: www.abowind.com/uk/contact/supply-chain.php
ABO Wind UK
ABO Wind UK Ltd has been operating in the UK, based in Livingston, since 2006. We already have
one successful wind farm development in the Highlands at Lairg, where three wind turbines have
been operational since January 2012. In 2013, we opened our Highland office in Inverness.
ABO Wind UK Ltd is a subsidiary of ABO Wind AG, one of Europe’s most experienced wind energy
developers. Originating in Germany, ABO Wind now also operates in the United Kingdom, Ireland,
France, Spain, Belgium, Finland and Argentina. ABO Wind has a global team of 285 professionals
developing, constructing, operating and maintaining wind farms. Over the past 17 years ABO
Wind has connected over 450 wind turbines with a capacity of more than 860 Megawatts. More
information about ABO Wind can be found at www.abo-wind.com.
Further Information
For further information on ABO Wind UK Ltd please visit www.abo-wind.co.uk or if you are
interested in our Green Burn Wind Farm proposal, www.greenburnwindfarm.co.uk
Alternatively, please contact, Lucy Forte, Project Manager on
0800 066 5631, by email at: [email protected] or in
writing to:
ABO Wind UK
Alba Innovation Centre
Alba Campus
Livingston
EH54 7GA
www.greenburnwindfarm.co.uk