Southern Upland wind farm turbines cleared to get taller
Getty Images- Plans to increase the size of the turbines on a wind farm in the Galloway Hills have been approved
- They will see the structures at Cornharrow rise in height to 180m (590ft)
- A reporter ruled that their increased individual visual impact would be offset by reducing their numbers by one
Plans have been approved to increase the size of turbines at a wind farm previously refused due to concerns over its impact on a popular walking route.
The structures at Cornharrow near Carsphairn will rise from 150m (490ft) to 180m (590ft) in height.
A proposal to build 11 turbines was refused in 2019 but revised plans for eight turbines received permission last year.
Now the Scottish government has ruled that can be amended to just seven turbines - but all with a greater height.
Developers Energiekontor saw their plans knocked back three years ago when a reporter ruled their impact on landscape and "enjoyment of cultural heritage" would be unacceptable.
Two years later revised plans for fewer turbines were found to have a "remarkably limited" effect and were allowed to proceed.
Proposals to increase the turbines in height and reduce their number by one were taken to the Scottish government again after Dumfries and Galloway Council failed to issue a decision within statutory time scales.
A reporter ruled that the taller turbines - which would require aviation lighting -would individually have a greater landscape impact.
However, he concluded that would be offset by the removal of the most obtrusive turbine in the scheme.