UK's largest onshore wind farm at Whitelee to double capacity in £1.5bn project

The UK’s largest onshore wind farm is set to double in capacity as part of a £1.5bn project which could create hundreds of jobs.

Under the plans announced by ScottishPower on Wednesday, Whitelee Wind Farm could generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 650,000 homes – more than double its current capabilities.

Whitelee, which straddles East Renfrewshire, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire council areas, was originally commissioned in 2008 and consisted of 140 turbines when it opened to the public the following year.

Now spanning an area of approximately 83km2 at Eaglesham Moor, the site is home to 215 turbines and is a popular spot for dog walkers, runners and cyclists.

Under the new plans, the number of turbines will be reduced to 124 larger structures around 250m in height, taking capacity from 539megawatts to 1gigawatt.

It has been estimated that the project will generate £330m of Gross Value Added (GVA) for the Scottish economy over ten years of development and construction.

Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower renewables chief executive, said: “Whitelee is one of the largest windfarms in Europe and the jewel in the UK’s renewables crown, powering Greater Glasgow and beyond with clean, green power for almost two decades.

“We want to build on the existing success of our windfarms before they reach the end of their natural lifespan and we lose the benefit of their clean power capacity

“Whitelee can set the repowering standard, unlocking the continued potential of existing infrastructure. It also means re-benefiting communities with direct financial benefit as well as a fantastic opportunity for partial community ownership.”

He added: “At this critical moment in the push for home-grown clean, green energy, it’s important we don’t go in reverse and lose the clean capacity that’s been hard earned over the last two decades as it comes to the end of its operational life.

“Retaining and increasing the output from Whitelee is good news for the UK and Scotland, good news for jobs and good news for the community and economy.”

The plans, which include a new substation, have now been lodged with the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit and will be published online in the coming weeks.

A planning application is set to be submitted in December 2027, and it is hoped the upgraded wind farm will be operational by 2035.