Scotland just gave the green light to one of its biggest new onshore wind projects in years. EDF Renewables UK can now build the 91.8MW Dunside Wind Farm in the Lammermuir Hills, a move that will power tens of thousands of homes and pump millions into local communities.
The Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit granted permission on 22 March 2024, ending a two-year planning journey that began with public consultations in 2022.
Where the Turbines Will Spin
The new wind farm will rise on moorland east of the existing Fallago Rig site, just south of Dunbar in the Scottish Borders.
Developers will use the same access tracks and grid connection already in place for Fallago Rig, slashing construction disruption and costs.
Fourteen turbines, each potentially reaching 180 metres to tip, will stand on the hills. Once turning, Dunside is expected to generate enough clean electricity to supply around 53,000 average Scottish homes every year.
That figure comes from standard load factors for modern onshore wind sites in Scotland, currently running at about 35-40% according to recent SSE and ScottishPower data.
£11.3 Million Straight to Local Communities
The project carries one of the most generous community benefit packages seen in recent Scottish consents.
EDF Renewables has committed £5,000 per installed megawatt per year for the lifetime of the wind farm. Over an expected 40-year operational life, that adds up to £11.3 million in direct funding.
Local groups around Longformacus, Cranshaws and Abbey St Bathans will decide how the money is spent, from village hall upgrades to youth projects and energy-bill help schemes.
One resident told the Berwickshire News last year: “This kind of money can completely change small rural communities that have been losing services for decades.”
EDF Keeps Growing Its Scottish Footprint
EDF Renewables UK & Ireland now has more than 1GW of onshore wind either operating or under construction across Britain.
In Scotland alone, the company already runs the 54-turbine Fallago Rig (144MW) nearby, plus sites in South Lanarkshire and the Highlands.
The French-owned developer is also co-developing the 1.1GW Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm off the Fife coast, due online in 2025.
Dunside strengthens EDF’s position as one of the biggest players in Scottish renewables, second only to SSE and ScottishPower in onshore capacity.
Why This Approval Matters Right Now
Scotland installed almost zero new onshore wind capacity in 2022 and 2023 because of planning delays and aviation concerns.
Dunside is one of the first major projects to clear the backlog under the new consent process introduced last year.
Ministers are now processing over 20GW of onshore wind applications, enough to double Scotland’s current capacity if all are built.
The Scottish Government wants 20GW of installed onshore wind by 2030 to hit net-zero targets. Approvals like Dunside show the pipeline is finally moving again.
Environmental groups welcomed the decision but repeated calls for faster repowering of older, smaller wind farms to get even more clean power from existing sites.
The Dunside turbines will displace around 120,000 tonnes of CO₂ every year compared to fossil-fuel generation, according to EDF’s calculations using current UK grid carbon intensity.
Construction is expected to start in 2026, with first power in late 2027 or early 2028.
For the hills above Longformacus, the skyline is about to change, and for many locals, that change comes with jobs, investment and a stronger fight against climate breakdown.
What do you think, worth it for the clean power and community cash, or should the Lammermuirs stay as they are? Drop your thoughts below.
