Project Updates
These are the latest project updates for An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm
Latest news
A pre-examination meeting (PEM) to discuss the inquiry arrangements for the proposed An Carr Dubh Wind Farm (DPEA REFERENCE: WIN-130-10) will be held virtually on Wednesday, 5 March 2025 at 2pm.
The meeting will be hosted by the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), using the Microsoft Teams platform. The PEM’s purpose is solely to discuss the administrative arrangements for the inquiry and for the disclosure of the cases parties wish to make. There will be no discussion of the merits or otherwise of the application, or details of parties’ cases.
If you require further information on the arrangements for this pre-examination meeting, please get in touch with Rebecca Davidson at rebecca.davidson@gov.scot or by phone on 0131 244 8263 EXT: 48263.
Statkraft was delighted to support two events in the local area this summer.
For the third year running the An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm was proud to support the Inveraray Highland Games on the 16 July 2024. The Games are popular, both locally and further afield, drawing in spectators from near and far. Members of the Team have enjoyed attending the Games in past years, particularly watching the cycling race, believed to be unique to these games.
Later in the month, on the Saturday 27 July 2024, we were pleased to support the Ford Village Gala day celebrations. The day also doubled as the grand reopening of the Village Hall. The village hall has recently under gone a splendid renovation following lots of hard work by local residents. Entertainment on the day was provided by, among others, the mid Argyll Pip Band and the Forget Me Not Choir. While the weather was good the renovated hall provided a great venue for serving afternoon tea.
The application for An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm was presented at the local Argyll and Bute Council Planning Committee in May 2024, with the outcome being a Holding Objection from the committee.
The An Càrr Dubh was presented at the Argyll and Bute Council, Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Commitee Meeting on Wednesday, 22 May 2024. The outcome was a Holding Objection from the committee.
We are currently working through the details of the decision and what that means for the project.
The An Càrr Dubh proposal will be presented at the Argyll and Bute Council, Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Commitee Meeting on Wednesday, 22 May 2024.
We first introduced the project in May 2021 and have worked hard to engage with both Statutory Consultees and local communities during the consultation of the proposal.
The design of the project incorporated the feedback received from the exhibitions and consultees. The number of turbines has reduced by 50% from 26 to 13, all tip heights have been reduced by 20m, from 200m to 180m, and the lcoations of several turbines and infrastructure have been re-located to address feedback received on landscape and visual impact and incorporate the findings of the on-site technical studies.
The work to install the met mast for An Càrr Dubh was completed on the 21 March 2024.
The works took slightly longer than expected due to weather conditions on-site.
We now look forward to receiving data from the met mast which will help us better understand the wind and weather conditions on site.
On-site works to install the temporary meteorological mast (met mast) are due to start on 26th February 2024. It is expected, depending on weather, that the works will be completed within two weeks.
The application to erect a temporary met mast was approved by Argyll and Bute Council on the 18th January 2023 (Application Reference: 22/02194/PP). The met mast, measuring up to 100m in height and which may be in place for up to three years, will be located on land east of Loch Sionnach, south-east of Blarghour.
There will be a small team erecting the mast. They will take access from the B849 and it is not anticipated that there will be any disruption to the local road network during the works.
The information collected by the met mast will complement our existing data and help inform our decision on the best make and model of turbine to install on site should the wind farm receive consent. The Application for the proposed An Càrr Dubh wind farm is currently being considered by the relevant determining authorities.
You can view the full planning application for the met mast here.
In line with Section 27A of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and regulation 40 of the The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013, a Notification of Initiation of Development notice has been lodged with Argyll and Bute Council. This notice can be found under our Planning Documents.
Statkraft are proud to sponsor the Inveraray Highland Games agian. This is our second year.
The An Càrr Dubh project team look forward to joining local people and those from across the globe at this very popular event on the 18th July.
We hope to bump into some familiar faces from the drop in sessions we have held over the course of the project. However, if you don't want to leave it to chance, and have a question about the project you would like answered please get in touch.
We wish the organisers and competitors all the best in their preparations towards the big day.
The An Càrr Dubh project team were pleased to meet with members of the community who made it along to the drop in sessions on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 May. We would like to take the opportunity to thank you for engaging with us in Ford, Dalavich, Strachur and Inveraray over the two days.
The drop-in sessions provided an opportunity to present the project that has been submitted in to planning, outline how and why it has changed since it was first introduced in May 2021 and provide the information you need to submit Representations to the Scottish Government, should you wish.
The closing date for making Representations on the application is 24 May and you can find details on how to do that here.
We look forward to meeting members of the community next week to present the An Càrr Dubh application that has been sumbitted to the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit recently.
The aim of the drop-in Sessions is to answer any questions you may have and provide information about how you can submit your feedback on the proposal.
The drop-in sessions will take place:
Monday 15 May, Ford Village Hall, Ford. 12 - 3pm
Monday 15 May, Dalavich Community Centre, Dalavich. 4.30pm - 7.30pm
Tuesday 16 May, Strachur Memorial Hall (New Hall), Strachur.12 - 3pm
Tuesday 16 May, Loch Fyne Hotel, Inveraray. 4.30pm - 7.30pm
We look forward to meeting you. If you can't make it, the information will be available to view under Project Documents from 15 May 2023.
Statkraft has submitted plans for the An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm in Argyll and Bute to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit.
The closest turbine to Inveraray (Turbine 1) is located approximately 6km to the north-west and the closest turbine to Dalavich (turbine 13) approximately 4.5km to the east, the proposal is for 13 turbines, all with a maximum height of 180m to blade tip. The installed capacity is expected to be up to 85.8MW.
Originally introduced in May 2021 as a 26 turbine scheme all with maximum height of 200m to blade tip, the project is estimated to generate the electricity equivalent to the demand of c.95,000 homes each year. In addition, the wind farm would generate a community fund of nearly £429,000 per year and be available for the operational lifetime of the project, 40 years.
The project is one of a portfolio that Statkraft is developing the in the UK, contributing to the country’s net zero by 2045 target.
Scott Vallance, Senior Project Manager for Statkraft said:
“We are pleased to have submitted a Section 36 application for An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm. We want to thank everyone who took the time to provide their views on the project during the consultation periods, online, via feedback forms or in person. This feedback, along with findings of our further studies has helped shape the project submitted to the Energy Consents Unit.”
The full application documents can be viewed on the project website at www.ancarrdubh.co.uk or on the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit Website under reference number: ECU 00004781.
Statkraft is keen to ensure local businesses maximise the opportunities to benefit from the proposal. Interested local suppliers are encouraged to register their capabilities on the Local Suppliers Register here.
About An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm
Energy Consents Unit Reference: ECU 00004781
13 Turbines
180m to blade tip height
Over 50MW (estimated to be 85.8MW)
Community benefit fund of £5,0000 per MW of Installed Capacity per annum based on 85.8MW, £429,000 per annum.
Generate electricity equivalent to the demand of over 95,872 homes (Based on 85.8MW of Installed Capacity, wind resource assessment and Scottish average household consumption of 3,520kWh per annum (BEIS Dec 2021)
The planning application for the temporary meteorological mast (met mast) we submitted last year (November 2022) for the proposed An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm was approved by Argyll and Bute Council this week (18/01).
The project team will now start to source suppliers and put in place contracts for the met mast. It is expected that work on erecting the met mast will begin later this year.
Full details of the application can be viewed on the Council's planning portal which can be accessed here under the application reference 22/02914/PP.
A planning application for a temporary meteorological mast (met mast) for the proposed An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm has been submitted to Argyll and Bute Council.
The purpose of the met mast is to collect more data to increase our knowledge of the wind resource within the site. Full details of the application can be viewed at on the Council’s planning portal which can be accessed here under the application reference 22/02194/PP and is available to view under the planning documents tab.
If you have any questions please Get In Touch.
For the past twelve months we have been working hard to refine our An Càrr Dubh proposal. The project we now intend to submit to planning towards the end of this year or early in 2023 will be for 13 turbines up to 180m to tip height. You can view the project plan and updated viewpoints here.
When we submit our plans we intend to hold information sessions in the local area to present the finalised project and to outline how residents can make representations on the proposal. Further details of the information sessions will be provided nearer the time.
The original proposal was for 26 turbines up to 200m to tip height. As the project has developed we have taken into account feedback from local communities and statutory stakeholders, as well as information from onsite studies. This has allowed us to develop a proposal that strikes a good balance between maximising the electricity output while relating well to the existing landscape and other developments.
We wish to thank community members and representatives for the time and input they have given as we have developed our proposals.
On Tuesday 19 July, members of the An Càrr Dubh project team attended the Inveraray Highland Games. As a first-time sponsor of these Games it great to see them well attended by local people as well as by many from all around the world.
The day got off to a great start with the Parade from Church Square to the Games Field at Inveraray Castle. Throughout the day visitors were treated to a range of traditional events and competitions, running, hammer throwing, highland dancing and piping as well as the opportunity to watch the unique cycling race.
We aimed to raise awareness of the project through our sponsorship banners on the day and it was great to be able to attend.
We held our second exhibition in November 2021 to share our updated plans for the An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm, which included three in-person public exhibitions in Ford, Dalavich and Inveraray and online consultation event.
For the sixth consecutive year, Statkraft have released its Low Emissions Scenario - an analysis of the energy world towards 2050.
A report has been published on how to maximise the economic benefits of clean power for consumers while ensuring that the UK reaches net zero emissions at the lowest cost.
The An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm project team wishes to thank everyone who took the time to attend the drop-in sessions on the 9, 10 and 11 of November in Ford, Dalavich and Inveraray.
The second Public Exhibition for An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm opened on 1 November 2021.
We are looking forward to holding a second public exhibition for An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm in November 2021.
The Gaelic spelling of the project name (Car Duibh) was raised with us during the first consultation. It is important to us that the name reflects the regional dialect in relation to Gaelic and the wind farm location. The wind farm will now be called An Càrr Dubh.
The original Gaelic ‘càrr’ meaning bog or moss has been rendered as ‘Loch nan Car’ by the Ordnance Survey, which is where we originally selected ‘Car’ from for the name of the project. We have been further advised that if combining ‘car’ (bog or moss) and ‘dubh’ (black), the correct Gaelic would be ‘(An) Càrr Dubh’ (the double r differentiates from càr meaning automobile).
The name change will go live on 28 October 2021. We will updated the website web address www.ancarrdubh.co.uk but all other contact details rename the same and anyone that visits the old website address will be redirected to the new address so we do not expect any issues with the updated name version.
In June and July 2021 we held an online exhibition to share our plans for Car Duibh Wind Farm.
Thank you to residents and interested groups who provided feedback during the consultation period for our Car Duibh Wind Farm proposal. We will be considering all the feedback as we continue to shape and develop the project.
Thank you to all residents and interested groups who took the time to visit our Car Duibh Wind Farm virtual exhibition between 14 June and 2 July 2021.
One of the most common questions we are asked when developing our projects is 'Why here?".
Today, Monday 14 June 2021, marks the start of the Car Duibh Wind Farm online exhibition.
We are pleased to have submitted a Scoping Request to the Scottish Government to progress our plans for Car Duibh Wind Farm, with the nearest proposed turbine located approximately 6km North West of Inveraray and 4.5km to the east of Dalavich in Argyll and Bute.