Scottish ministers have granted planning consent for BayWa r.e.’s Cloud Hill Wind Farm near the towns of Sanquhar and Kirkconnel in Dumfries and Galloway, the renewable energy developer said.
The project will comprise 10 turbines with a total installed capacity of about 56 megawatts and is expected to generate electricity equivalent to the annual needs of around 58,000 homes, according to the company.
BayWa r.e. said the final design was revised following consultations with local communities, Dumfries and Galloway Council and statutory bodies including NatureScot and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. As part of the process, four turbines were removed from the original layout and the on-site substation was relocated to reduce visual and environmental impacts.
The company said the project includes plans to enhance more than 400 hectares of land for biodiversity, alongside peatland and wetland restoration, native tree and hedgerow planting, and improvements to local walking routes.
BayWa r.e. said the wind farm will provide a community benefit fund of £280,000 per year, amounting to about £9.8 million over the project’s lifetime, and contribute roughly £1.1 million annually in business rates.
“We are delighted that Cloud Hill Wind Farm has received consent,” said Stuart Davidson, head of development at BayWa r.e. UK Ltd., citing collaboration with nearby communities during the planning process.
BayWa r.e. said Cloud Hill is its sixth UK project to receive planning approval in 2025, lifting the company’s total consented capacity this year to more than 860 MW across wind, solar and battery storage. The developer said it will now work to meet planning conditions, with construction expected to start in 2028.
