HOW WAS THE SITE CHOSEN FOR A POTENTIAL WIND FARM?

Minnygap was identified as a good location for a wind farm as part of a nationwide survey of potential Scottish wind farm locations carried out by RES in 2000.  The RES site selection criteria seeks to balance available wind resource, with environmental, technical and other constraining factors to ensure that a wind farm proposed by RES has minimal impact on the environment and has the best chance to succeed. 

Following the installation of a meteorological mast in 2002, and comprehensive surveys of the site and its surroundings RES consider Minnygap one of the best locations for a wind farm in the region with minimal environmental and technical constraints and a site location which lends itself to an aesthetically successful design layout.

RES submitted a planning application in July 2009.  This is a revised scheme and addresses the concerns raised in our original proposal submitted in 2005. 

Since submitting our original application we have listened to the local community and worked hard in the intervening period to redesign the scheme taking their views into account.  We are confident that Minnygap is a low impact site with little visual impact and no ecological issues.  We have reduced the number of turbines from 15 to 10, and following the consent of the neighbouring Harestanes Wind Farm, redesigned Minnygap to sit in harmony with it.

Minnygap Wind Farm was consented by the Scottish Government in June 2014.