Cairds Hill windfarm
Project overview
The Cairds Hill Wind Farm will be located to the north of the current turbines and will be a natural extension to the existing Edintore Wind Farm. We are proposing four turbines with three with a maximum tip height of 180m and one of 150m. The project was originally known as Edintore II Wind Farm.
The proposed wind farm will contribute to Moray and Scotland achieving national climate change target of net zero emissions by 2045. The proposed wind farm will be designed to maximise the renewable energy generation potential of the site and could produce up to approximately 55GWh per year.
A public exhibition at Longmore Hall was held on the 29th of March 2022 and all exhibition material is available on this website under the ‘Publications’ tab. The project was submitted to the planning authority in April 2024. The planning submission can be accessed at 24/00617/EIA | Erect four wind turbines three of which are up to 180m to blade tip height and one up to 149.9m blade tip height associated and ancillary infrastructure includes hardstanding areas for each turbine location onsite access tracks an electrical substation and buried cables temporary laydown areas and a temporary construction compound on | Land At Cairds Wood Moray
While the Cairds Hill Project layout has been designed to complement the existing turbines of the operating Edintore Wind Farm the two project developers/owners are different companies and are not connected.
Facts and figures
Start of Construction
Installed capacity
COD
The Cairds Hill Wind Farm will generate a community benefit fund to be invested in the local area in each year of the project’s lifetime. We are committed to £5,000 per installed MW in community benefit, which means up to £84,000 per annum going to the local community.
Good Practice Principles
Our work to develop more detailed proposals for the community benefit arrangements will be guided by the Scottish Government’s Good Practice Principles for Community Benefit[1].
We will be seeking the views of the community regarding if and how the additional funding criteria and area of benefit could be managed differently.
Keith-based charity REAP (Rural Environmental Action Project) manages other community funds for wind farms on behalf of the local community by committee. The community benefit fund primary catchment area currently includes communities with 10km of the site, which includes all or parts of the Keith Community Council area, Strathisla Community Council area, Strathbogie Community Council area, Lennox Community Council area, Dufftown & District Community Council area. Groups out with the 10km area can receive funding if it is for projects or to benefit the local community. It is envisaged that the Cairds Hill project will do something similar.
Suppliers and Businesses
If you are a local supplier or business who would like to discuss your potential involvement with the project with us or be added to our supplier list, please get in touch.
We will also be holding more events later in the project process including a “meet the buyer” event.
Separation from Planning Process
It is important to stress that community benefits are voluntary initiatives and, as such, are not a material consideration in the planning process. If we do ultimately proceed to apply for consent for the extension, our application will be assessed against the provisions in Scottish Planning Policy, the local authority’s development plan, and any other material considerations.
Likewise, contributing to discussions on community benefits does not affect an individual’s, community or organisation’s right to express a view on our proposals, or to support or object to these.