Shelloch Application submitted to Stirling Council

Force 9 Energy, alongside its development partner EDF Renewables, has submitted a planning application to Stirling Council for Shelloch Wind Farm.  The proposed five turbines would be approximately 15km South West of Stirling, in the same location that was approved in 2015 for the 7-turbine Craigton & Spittalhill (Cr&Sp) Wind Farm. The Shelloch proposal is being brought forward as an alternative to Cr&Sp in order to make best possible use of the wind resource on site.

Commenting on the application, Andrew Smith, Head of Planning and Development at Force 9 said:

‘’The proposed site lies within an area that has been identified by Stirling Council as having capacity for up to 10 wind turbines, and the original 2015 consent has established the principle of this site accommodating a wind farm.  Significantly, the new proposals would generate enough electricity to meet the annual domestic energy requirements of 22,895 homes, over 10,000 more homes than the prior consented project (despite having two fewer turbines) due to employing much more efficient wind turbine technology.’’ 

‘’Stirling Council and the Scottish Government have both declared a Climate Emergency within the past year, and this comes at a time when our country is continuing to suffer the most significant economic recession in modern times as a result of measures to protect us from the pandemic.  It is therefore vitally important that investments come forward which have the capacity to bring about both sustainable, economic growth and long-term climate change mitigation”. 

As part of the proposal there is a Community Benefit fund, the value of which could be up to £120,000 per year during the operational lifetime of the proposed wind farm (anticipated to be 30 years).

In addition, Force 9’s Development partner, EDF Renewables is committed to providing a Community Ownership opportunity for local groups to collectively invest up to 10% in the proposed wind farm.