The official planning application for a proposed 22-turbine South Lanarkshire wind farm “sufficient to power over 170,000 homes” has been submitted to the Scottish Government.
M74 West Ltd are seeking permission for the renewable energy development – over 1450 hectares spanning either side of the motorway near Abington services – and which would also include solar panels and a battery energy storage system.
It follows two public exhibitions in the nearby village and neighbouring Crawfordjohn, with developers saying the community feedback has been used to inform the final application which has now been tabled.
Renewable energy developer Renewco Power have submitted their application for approval to the Scottish Government’s energy consents unit, while South Lanarkshire Council will be contacted as a consultee.
Head of development Richard Koiak said: “We would like to thank all those who attended our consultation events and provided valuable feedback.
“Our proposal aims to deliver a renewable energy scheme that aligns with Scotland’s climate and energy goals – this project will mark a significant step in Scotland reaching its targets of 20GW of onshore wind by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2045.”
The development, anticipated to have a 40-year lifespan, would consist of up to 22 turbines of 200 metres in height as well as the 80MW of solar panels and the 50MW battery energy storage system to hold “excess renewable energy and release it on the grid during peaks in demand”.
Its output would connect to the national grid at Redshaw, with the current project timeline indicating that if planning permission were granted by the end of next year, construction could start in the first half of 2027.
Abingdon was chosen as the site due to the presence of similar nearby developments plus high wind speeds, access for traffic and to the electricity network and “avoiding significant direct effects on areas designated for nature conservation”.
Renewco say the “significant investment in South Lanarkshire” would “have a significant role in helping the Scottish and UK governments to meet their emissions reduction and net zero commitments”.
The company says the M74 West project would also bring local benefits including a community projects fund valued at approximately £825,000 per year.
A pilot project distributing small grants has already been made available and “generated significant local interest”, although this has now been paused for the duration of the official application process, and Renewco added: “We are delighted to be supporting a range of community projects and would like to thank all those who have submitted applications.”
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