Considerate developer Banks Renewables has won backing from council planners for a wind farm which would provide around £8.9 million of funding for nearby rural communities.

The Hamilton-based company is a step closer to realising plans for a wind farm at Kype Muir, south of Strathaven after it was supported by South Lanarkshire Council.

A final decision on the 26 turbine development will be made by the Scottish Government consents unit, but the council’s backing is a significant milestone in the process.

Colin Anderson, director at Banks Renewables said: "We are delighted the council has decided to support our application after a long and exhaustive process of assessing it.

"We don’t just create wind farms, we forge long-lasting partnerships with the communities where we operate to bring real opportunities and benefits to local families and businesses.

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"If Kype Muir Wind Farm is given the go-ahead by the Scottish Government, as we hope it will be, South Lanarkshire Council will be an essential partner in supporting the local communities around Kype Muir deliver the major projects and local improvements they would like to see and are now made possible by the funding from their local wind farm."

The fund outlined by Banks Renewables would be one of the most generous drawn up as part of a Scottish wind farm development and could deliver training and apprenticeship schemes to help up to 1000 local young people into work.

The firm is offering community funding of 1.5 per cent of the gross annual revenue from the wind farm – up to £8.9 million over the 25 year lifetime of the site - money that would support local communities within a 10km radius of Kype Muir.

Colin added: "One of the biggest concerns people have voiced is about the jobs situation in the area. So, we are working with South Lanarkshire Council to develop a major, targeted employment initiative for the local communities around Kype Muir.

"This is likely to focus on 18-25 year olds, who have been one of the hardest hit groups through the recession and would, subject to us securing the agreement of the local communities over the coming months, involve substantial annual funding for a range of apprenticeships, scholarships and graduate job location initiatives."

It is estimated that during the 25 year life of the wind farm, £200,000 a year could be contributed from the Kype Muir Wind Farm community fund to the initiative.

(GK)