Community invited to view final plans for Banffshire wind farm

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Vattenfall is holding a second round of public exhibitions this week, following its March 2022 events, to update the community on its final plans for the redesign of Aultmore Wind Farm in Moray.

The exhibitions will provide a range of information, as well as the opportunity to meet the project team and discuss the redesigned proposal:

Wednesday 30th August 2023

• Cullen Community Centre, Seafield Road, Cullen, AB56 4AF from 11am to 2pm
• Clochan Community Centre, Clochan, Buckie, AB56 5HS from 5pm to 8pm

Thursday 31st August 2023

• Newmill Hall, Mill Brae, Newmill, Keith, AB55 6TW from 11am to 2pm
• Fishermen’s Hall, North Pringle Street, Buckie, AB56 1HT from 5pm to 8pm

Information from the exhibitions will be available on the project website at www.vattenfall.co.uk/aultmore for anyone wishing to get involved but unable to attend the events. There will also be an opportunity to leave feedback and ideas.

The site, which lies approximately 6km north of Keith and 7km south of Buckie, was originally consented as a 13-turbine 29MW scheme by Moray Council in 2014. Since then, significant advances in turbine technology have taken place, leading to Vattenfall redesigning the scheme. The new 16-turbine 105.6MW proposal with a blade tip height of 200m could generate enough electricity annually for around 84,000 homes*, almost four times the original scheme’s 22,000 homes*.

If consented, the scheme would also provide an annual community fund of around £528,000 each year for the benefit of the local area, a total of around £18.4 million over the wind farm’s 35-year operational life cycle.

Lucy Blake, Vattenfall’s Project Manager for Aultmore Wind Farm, said:

“Since our March 2022 exhibitions and consultation, we have been considering the feedback from the local community, as well as key consultees, together with the findings from our environmental and technical surveys. We are very grateful for the feedback received, which has helped us make meaningful improvements to the scheme, and look forward to meeting again with the community and discussing our plans for the final design at our events this week.”

Frank Elsworth, Vattenfall’s Head of UK Onshore Wind Development, said:

“The team has worked hard to design the project in a way that minimises impacts and maximises benefits to the area. We expect to submit our application for consent to Scottish Ministers later this year and, if granted, the wind farm could deliver significant benefits to the area. In addition to the sizeable community benefit fund, Vattenfall has a strong track record for working closely with the local supply chain and independent analysis at our South Kyle Wind Farm in East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway found that the wind farm’s development and construction spend within the local area amounts to £44 million. We will be looking to take a similar approach for Aultmore Wind Farm so that we can maximise the inward investment to the local area.”

Anyone wishing to provide feedback to Vattenfall on the updated proposal and final design for Aultmore Wind Farm can do so so in writing by filling in a ‘comments form’ at the exhibitions or online (from the project website), by emailing aultmore.windfarm@vattenfall.com or writing to Aultmore Project Team, Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd, St Andrew’s House, Haugh Lane, Hexham, NE46 3QQ. The closing date for comments is Friday 15th September 2023.

Any comments submitted to Vattenfall on the proposal at this time are not representations to the determining authority (Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit). Should a formal S36 application for consent be submitted there will be an opportunity at that time for people to submit formal comments on this proposal to the determining authority.

* https://www.renewableuk.com/page/UKWEDExplained/Statistics-Explained.htm

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