Council sees more bids for taller wind turbines

Dumfries and Galloway Council is proposing changes to how it assesses the impact of onshore wind farms as there has been "increasing interest" in taller turbines.

The local authority said the area was now seeing developer bids for turbines over 150m (500ft) tall.

A consultation on plans to update its current framework for assessing the effects of developments has just started.

It shows the region already has nearly 600 onshore turbines operational or under construction with planning consent in place for more than 150 more.

The new guidance would replace the current Wind Farm Landscape Capacity Study, last revised in 2017.

The public has until 20 December to give its views on the proposed changes.

Ian Blake, who chairs the council’s economy and infrastructure committee, said they aimed to balance climate change mitigation with the need to preserve the area's "unique landscapes".

"This draft guidance will provide the council with essential tools to evaluate the landscape impacts of wind energy proposals under current policy and environmental contexts," he added.

The draft guidance outlines the number and scale of developments already in place across Dumfries and Galloway.

At the end of March this year, it found more than 30 developments with turbines above 50m (164ft) high were operational or under construction in the region.

The largest of these - Kilgallioch - has 95 turbines.

However, consent is in place for another dozen projects - many of them with turbines over 150m (500ft) high.

The public is being urged to take part in consulation on the draft plans.

The council said any comments received would be "considered carefully".

It said any amendments based on the feedback received would be presented to a future council committee for approval.