£4.2 million wind turbine in Perth and Kinross reaches final phase

A seven-turbine wind farm in Perthshire entered the final stage of construction this week, after contractors pulled out all the stops to avoid disrupting ospreys nesting nearby.

One of the turbines in the £4.2 million Tullymurdoch wind farm near Alyth is located close to a nesting site.

Civil engineering firm Jones Bros had to ensure it was erected before the birds’ breeding season began in April.

The construction work was hampered by heavy snow over winter, leading to delays which threatened to throw the project behind schedule.

If the turbine had not been completed before the start of the nesting season the team would not have been able to resume work until after the birds had raised their young and left the area.

Edinburgh renewable energy provider Element Power is in charge of the overall project, which is due to be completed by the end of June.

Regional manager of Jones Bros Garod Evans said: “We faced a fair few weather challenges including multiple snowfalls to stay on schedule.

“The team have done an incredible job to avoid falling behind the timetable.

“We had 20 people on site at the peak of the project.

“As well as the turbine foundations, we also widened sections and added new passing places to a four-mile singletrack access road.

“We are on course to hand over an operational site by the end of June.”

The development was approved by the Scottish Government following an appeal four years ago.

Bosses have pledged to give a share of its income to a local development trust, which will be managed by the community.

Project leaders say the scheme could generate up to £87,500 a year for community projects, amounting to £2m during the lifetime of the wind farm.