Infinergy is holding three Community Open Days to allow all those in the area a chance to view the draft plans for Shepherds’ Rig, Stroanshalloch and Marnhoul Wind Farms and meet with members of the team. The Community Open Days will take place on the following days:
- Monday 22nd July 2013, 2pm to 7pm: Lagwyne Hall, Carsphairn (near Shepherds’ Rig Wind Farm)
- Tuesday 23rd July 2013, 2pm to 7pm: Corsock Village Hall (near Marnhoul Wind Farm)
- Wednesday 24th July 2013, 2pm to 7pm: Glencairn Memorial Institute, Moniaive (near Stroanshalloch Wind Farm)
Infinergy has sent a newsletter to almost 3,000 households inviting residents to the open days to meet with communities and gather feedback. The projects are at early site design stage and lots of information is still to be gathered in order to finalise the proposals. Infinergy is already in dialogue with local residents in relation to one proposal, which has resulted in the company redesigning the site and reducing the number of turbines.
Following the open days, Infinergy will use the feedback to continue work on the design and layout of each of the wind farms and then hold further information days, possibly early next year. Only after further discussion with local communities will Infinergy submit planning applications to the relevant authorities later in 2014.
Infinergy is committed to providing £5,000 per MW of installed capacity in community benefit. Infinergy is also looking at various options to allow local communities to become partners in any of the projects so that it is part community owned and more information will be available at the open days.
Fiona Milligan, Project Manager, said:
“Infinergy is pleased to announce Community Open Days for our proposed wind farm developments in Dumfries & Galloway. We are at the start of our proposals for the area and believe it is important we speak to local communities, answer questions they may have about our proposals and receive their feedback.
“We understand that there are a number of proposed developments in Dumfries & Galloway as a whole and we want to work with local residents to ensure that our proposals work and benefit the area.”
“Infinergy is committed to the principle that communities should benefit from the generation of local renewable energy. We want to work with the communities to develop high quality projects with a focus on community involvement and want to set up a scheme so that one or more of our projects can be part community owned.”