Giant wind farm gets thumbs up

Wednesday, 24 December 2003 6:35 AM

The Scottish Executive has approved plans to build the largest onshore wind farm in the UK.

Scottish and Southern Energy will build the 130 megawatt windfarm at Hadyard Hill, near Girvan, in South Ayrshire.

The £90 million project will provide electricity for about 80,000 homes.

Work will begin in 2004 with the wind farms operational by mid 2005.

The firm's chief executive, Ian Marchant, said: "The Scottish Executive's decision to grant consent for the Hadyard Hill development is a significant milestone in our programme of investment in renewable energy.

"It is also an encouraging example of the Ministry of Defence's willingness to engage with wind energy developers and planning authorities to ensure that good wind farm developments such as Hadyard Hill can take place.

"I am optimistic that we will be able to add to this development consent in the first few months of next year, and play our full part in meeting the UK Government's new target of generating 15 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2015."

Friends of the Earth said the go-ahead was "great news" for the people of Ayrshire and great news for the environment.

"Scotland's energy future lies in tapping into its natural resources such as wind, wave and solar.

"Unlike the radioactive discharges from the Hunterston nuclear power station just up the coast, this scheme will produce pollution-free energy. In time, we hope that polluting nuclear power will be replaced by renewables and less hazardous energy schemes.

"It is good that the MoD has chosen not to thwart this project. Sadly, in other parts of the country, their objections have put paid to a large number of perfectly good renewable schemes."

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