ARDFERN
PLANS for a £290,000 hydro power scheme in Ardfern have been approved, offering ‘the best and only chance’ of financial sustainability for a traditional hill farm.
James Adam of Garraron and Melfort Farms applied for permission to build a dam, a 250m long storage reservoir, powerhouse, burn intake and buried pipeline on land north east of Garraron Farm. The project is esti-mated to cost £290,000 to build, bringing an annual income of £32,450 to the farm if all energy were exported to the grid. It will be designed to have an operating life in excess of 100 years and visual impact will be minimal. Civil works are expected to begin in May 2018 and be finished within four months, while the turbine and electrical works will be installed when available.