Earraghail wind farm proposal refused by Scottish Government

Scottish Power Renewables started the application process for the Earraghail development, consisting of 13 turbines of 180m generating 78MW, solar panels generating 5MW, plus 25MW from a battery energy storage system (BESS), in 2022.

But following objections, it was referred to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division and a public inquiry was held between March and August last year, culminating in a report and recommendation being submitted to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit on September 30 2024.

The application was rejected last week, on February 14, by the Energy Consents Unit on behalf of the Scottish Government.

All the “adverse impacts” examined by the consents unit were deemed to have been outweighed “when considerable weight is given to the proposed development’s contribution to renewable energy and net zero targets”.

But it was felt that the impact of the wind farm development, which would be seen from the north end of Arran, on the North Arran National Scenic Area would not be “similarly outweighed”.

The refusal document stated that: “The Scottish Ministers consider that the proposed development, if deployed, would create net economic benefits, and deliver renewable energy benefits that would contribute to supporting climate change mitigation and are wholly in accordance with Scottish Government’s climate change ambitions.

“These benefits, however, must be considered carefully in the context of the negative impacts on the natural environment and whether, on balance, they are acceptable,” it said.

“The Scottish Ministers do not consider that the social, environmental, or economic benefits of the proposed development can be construed as significant or nationally important to the extent that they clearly outweigh the significant adverse effects on the SQs [special landscape qualities] for which the North Arran NSA has been designated.”

A number of objections to the Earraghail wind farm had been lodged, including from Argyll and Bute Council, Tarbert and Skipness Community Council, NatureScot, Arran Community Council, West Kintyre Community Council and East Kintyre Community Council, Skipness estate, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, National Air Traffic Services Safeguarding and The Woodland Trust.