Lowther Hills wind farm inquiry by end of summer

A public inquiry will decide the fate of the major wind farm in the Lowther Hills

A public inquiry into a major wind farm development in southern Scotland should be held by the end of the summer.

Buccleuch and Forsa Energy want to construct 30 turbines in the Lowther Hills near Wanlockhead.

Dumfries and Galloway Council opposed the project as a "visually dominant and incongruous development".

A Scottish government reporter hopes to hold the full inquiry into the scheme in late August or September following a pre-inquiry meeting next week.

Scaled back

The original proposals were for 42 turbines but have since been scaled back.

However, the council said that although that addressed some concerns others remained.

A pre-inquiry meeting is being held in Sanquhar on 1 May to agree on the main issues to be addressed.

It should then be followed about four months later by the public inquiry at a venue still to be decided.