Windfarms in Scotland with turbine tip height of 180m+: EIR release

Information requested

Your request is for various information relating to “windfarm records in Scotland for 180m+ turbine tip heights”. It has been dealt with under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs).

Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format.

Response

We have attached four spreadsheets which should provide you with the information requested. By way of explanation and reference I have listed each part of your request and provided notes below them.

1. Operational

2. Consented but not operational

As you will see from Annex C the first wind farm with turbines with blade tip heights of at least 180m was consented on 13 September 2019 (Kype Muir Wind Farm Extension Variation). A further 20 consents to Developments with turbines of at least 180m blade tip height have since been granted, the most recent being Clachindarroch II Wind Farm (26/06/2023).

3. Pending consent

There currently 37 applications for consent being considered but yet to be determined. Please see Annex B.

There are currently 8 applications subject to Public Inquiry and yet to be determined. Please see Annex A.

Please note that applications yet to be determined could in fact be refused consent and therefore the heading of “pending consent” is not an accurate description.

4. Planning applications refused and reasons

With regards to applications involving turbines with blade tip heights of 180m or more, to date, none have been refused.

5. For each record turbine tip heights to be specified, and the number of turbines

6. For each record, an extension of an existing windfarm or a brand new location

7. For each record, relevant planning authority

8. For each record, date of application, date of consent, date operational

The information requested in parts 5 to 8 can be obtained from the attached spreadsheets.

9. For each record, did the relevant planning authority refuse planning, triggering a public enquiry and Reporter evaluation

If the planning authority objects to an application, a public inquiry is required. Annex C states if a public inquiry was required.

With regards to “reporter evaluation” please see Annex D. In the Case Ref column there is a link to where the Reporter’s Evaluation can be obtained.

10. For each record, name of development, location (i.e. Kype Muir extension, South Lanarkshire) and name of original developer/and also if relevant current operator (i.e. RES, Fred Olsen renewables, SSE, etc)

This information is provided in the attached spreadsheets.

11. For each record, the minimum distance from nearest dwelling, community, village, hamlet or town

The nearest town/village to each Development listed in the attached spreadsheets is stated. To provide details of the nearest dwelling is too onerous. It is however available “in the public domain” and I refer you to regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs which states that there is no obligation to provide information which is already in the public domain. I also refer you to the ECU website www.energyconsents.scot where all the application and associated documentation for each and every Development listed in the attached spreadsheets can be viewed and where information relating to nearest dwellings may also be available.

Another website which may hold that information is the following:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-energy-planning-database-monthly-extract

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

EIR - 202300362531 - information released - Annex A to Annex D

File type

Excel document

File size

28.4 kB