A WIND farm project near Loch Doon has reached a major milestone with the completion of preparatory works at the site.

Civil engineering contractor, Jones Bros, has now completed all 'balance of plant' works for the Benbrack wind farm.

This includes construction of a 10km access track, along with the foundations for 15 turbines, a substation building and electrical cabling works.

Developer Red Rock Power says more than 100,000 personnel hours have been put in to the project so far, with no 'lost time' incidents occurring since work began.

The company also says that more than 17,000 HGV movements on nearby public roads have been avoided through the use of Jones Bros' on-site concrete batching plant and consented borrow-pit.

Construction work at the site – located in Dumfries and Galloway, but just across the border from East Ayrshire – began in October last year, a decade after the project was first proposed, and the first pouring of concrete on to one of the turbine foundations took place in July.

The Red Rock Power team is now working with turbine contractor Vestas, ahead of component delivery and installation starting in February 2024.

Over the course of an estimated nine weeks, night-time deliveries will see components transported 77 miles from the King George V Dock port in Glasgow to the wind farm, nine miles north of Carsphairn.

The Port of Ayr is also being considered for delivery of some components.

Cumnock Chronicle: The Benbrack project is scheduled to be complete and operational within the next 12 months.The Benbrack project is scheduled to be complete and operational within the next 12 months. (Image: NQ Archive)

The owners of the Benbrack wind farm announced on Friday that they have secured a ‘contract for difference’ (CFD) award for 31.1 megawatts of capacity.

This means that a stable income is guaranteed for more than half of the wind farm’s annual power generation.

Project director David Fielding said: “Together with Jones Bros and Natural Power, we’ve been working hard to deliver the first phase of construction at Benbrack before the end of the year as quickly and safely as possible.

"We’ve been impressed with our contractors’ efficiency and attention to detail, and we’re now in a great position to prepare for the first turbine delivery in 2024.

“We hope that night-time deliveries and the avoidance of road closures or diversions will minimise disruption to locals.

"We will be engaging with local communities in the coming weeks to share more information regarding the transport route and timings in the lead up to first delivery.”