The Robin Rigg wind farm off the Solway Coast has had little benefit for
those living on the Scottish side of the estuary, according to a new report.
It follows a study by academics from Glasgow and Cumbria universities, who
examined the social and culture impact of the development.
They found it had a mildly negative impact on fishing and funding benefits
from the scheme had been negligible.
The wind farm was constructed in 2009 and is the largest in Scotland.
It features 60 turbines and sits in the Solway Estuary about 11 km from the
Dumfries and Galloway coast and 13.5km from the Cumbrian coastline.
The area is traditionally associated with fishing and also benefits from
tourism.
The report said that following the construction of the wind farm, there had
been a reduction in fishing activity in the area when compared to the days
before the project was constructed.
Dr Darrell Smith from the University of Cumbria said there was also a
general “disappointment” among the local community about the perceived
long-term benefits of the project for the region.
He said: “One or two people mentioned the community funds that have come to
the Scottish coast in terms of some sort of payment and they didn’t feel
that whilst these funds were provided for community amenities or community
benefit, they felt that the funds themselves were fairly small and they
didn’t actually help with any sort of lasting employment that came out of
the wind turbines being there.”
The report said that there was a case for more consideration to be given to
the connection local people felt with a particular region when similar
projects were planned in future.
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