Working with the community
Working with the communities surrounding Lethans to create a project with positive impact and a long term legacy
The value of the community benefit fund will be £5,000 per MW – which could provide up to £9 million over the lifetime of the project. We propose working in partnership with the communities surrounding the wind farm with the aim to achieve sustainable social, economic and environmental benefits for the local area. Our proposal will work with a local panel established to make recommendations on local community projects that should receive funding. This could range from smaller-scale grants to larger legacy projects.
Listen to Robin the projects community manager talking about how we work with communities to create a proposal and the values that underpin our approach.
We propose working in partnership with the communities surrounding the wind farm with the aim to achieve sustainable social, economic and environmental benefits for the local area.
Our proposal will work with a local panel established to make recommendations on local community projects that should receive funding. This could range from smaller-scale grants to larger legacy projects.
This community fund panel will invite representation from the local community, community councils, the local authority and Banks Renewables.
Priority will be given to projects within the community council areas of the nine community council (9CC) group and Kirkconnel and Kelloholm. These projects will be identified by the 9CC group and Kirkconnel and Kelloholm through their participation in the community fund panel.
The 9 cc group consists of Patna, Ochiltree & Skares, Dalmellington, New Cumnock, Cronberry Logan and Luger, Netherthird, Cumnock, Auchinleck, Drongan Rankinston and Stair
Ready to give feedback? Click here or explore more about the proposal – Visual considerations, Environmental considerations, How we design a wind farm.
How much will Lethans Extension generate in terms of community funds?
As well as significant investment during the construction and operation of the windfarm, there will be a community benefit of £5,000 per MW per annum during the life of the windfarm. Based on current projections for the 10 turbines this would translate into upto £9M over the life of the wind farm for the local community. We will collaborate with local people, community councils and the local authority to determine how this money is used to deliver meaningful impact.
How will the community benefit beyond the community fund?
Onshore wind is the lowest cost renewable energy that can be generated in Scotland. It’s one of our best and cleanest natural resources. This keeps household bills lower as well as providing a way of investing in communities so that they can take steps to improve the wellbeing of local people.
Our wind farm proposal will deliver £5k per MW of community benefit funding each year. This will translate to an estimated £9.9m in community benefits when operational and invest millions into the local economy through the construction period. We will take great care to develop these proposals to ensure that we maximise the social, economic and environmental benefits for your local community.
PLEASE NOTE: Comments made are not representations to the planning authority.
Any persons wishing to make formal representations should do so by contacting the ECU on their website, by email or by post, quoting the application reference ECU00002221. Full contact details are available www.energyconsents.scot.