Introduction
Watchman Energy Park Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Glasgow-based renewable energy developer Renewco Power Limited, is advancing plans for a new renewable energy project at a site located south of Elvanfoot. The project is called Watchman Energy Park and will include up to 13 wind turbines and a battery energy storage system (BESS). The proposed development will have a total installed capacity of approximately 141 MW.
An application for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for Watchman Energy Park has been submitted to the Scottish Government. The application includes an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and a report on the pre-application consultation activities that have taken place. Further details of the application, along with copies of the application documents, can be found in the application for consent section below.
Why is this project needed?
The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019, which amends the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, sets targets to reduce Scotland’s emissions of all greenhouse gases to net zero by 2045 at the latest. Significant additional renewable energy capacity, over and above what is produced today, will be needed to facilitate the decarbonisation of transport and heating as Scotland transitions to net zero.
It is anticipated that the Watchman Energy Park would be sufficient to power approximately 110,259 homes and will have a significant role in helping the Scottish and UK Governments to meet their emissions reduction and net zero commitments. The BESS will also help balance electricity supply and demand on the National Grid.
Location
The Watchman Energy Park site (the Site) covers an area of approximately 1,089 hectares (ha). The Site is located approximately 7 km south of Elvanfoot, 10 km south of Crawford and 12 km west of Moffat and between the valley of the Daer Water to the north, Daer Reservoir and commercial forestry to the east, open moorland of the Southern Uplands to the south, and further open moorland and commercial forestry, with the A702 road beyond, to the west. The Site is within the administrative boundary of South Lanarkshire Council.
Why here?
This Site has been selected because:
- it is situated amongst a cluster of operational, proposed and consented wind farms, including the operational Clyde Wind Farm to the northeast and the proposed Daer Wind Farm to the east;
- it can accommodate a renewable energy development whilst avoiding significant direct effects on areas designated for nature conservation;
- there is scope to deliver a suitable access to the Site for both construction traffic and abnormal indivisible loads (AIL) whilst avoiding potential for impacts on local road users;
- it has consistently high anticipated wind speeds, which will deliver excellent wind energy yields;
- the large-scale character of the landscape in and around the Site can accommodate large modern, commercial wind turbines; and
- it has good access to the electricity transmission network and a grid connection can be achieved in a reasonable timeframe
Our proposals
• Up to 13 wind turbines with a maximum tip height of 240 m;
• Permanent foundations and associated crane hardstanding at each wind turbine base;
• Two site accesses for use during construction and operation; the Western Access from the A702 through Watermeetings Forest and the Eastern Access from the Daer Water road to enter the Site at Wintercleugh;
• Series of upgraded and new on-site access tracks;
• Underground power cables, generally laid in trenches alongside access tracks;
• On-site Substation Compound inclusive of substation and control building;
• On-site BESS Compound to accommodate a BESS of approximately 50 MW capacity;
• Temporary Construction Compound and laydown areas.
Indicative Development Timescale
November 2024
EIA Scoping Request submission
3rd December 2024
Public consultation exhibition 1
12th May 2025
Public consultation exhibition 2
Q1 2025
EIA Scoping Opinion received
Q1 2026
Submission of S36 application, including EIA Report
Q2 2026
Consent granted
TBC
Discharge of planning conditions
TBC (2035 at the latest)*
Start of construction
TBC (2036 at the latest)*
Start of operation
40 years from the start of operation (2076 at the latest)*
Start of decommissioning
41 years from start of operation (2077 at the latest)*
Decommissioning complete
* Under ongoing reforms to how entry of new connections to the national grid is managed, it is expected that the Watchman Project will be able to connect to the grid earlier than the 2036 date currently contracted.
Application for consent
Watchman Energy Park Limited has applied to the Scottish Ministers for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct and operate Watchman Energy Park. The installed capacity of the proposed generating station would be approximately 141 MW comprising 13 turbines with a ground to blade tip height of up 240 metres and a BESS. The proposed development is subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and an EIA Report has been produced.
The application documents including the press advert can be downloaded below or accessed via www.energyconsents.scot under reference ECU00006030. Representations should be submitted to the ECU by 8th of May 2026. Further details of how to do so are in the advert and on www.energyconsents.scot
Press advert
Non Technical Summary
Main Report
EIAR Volume 3a Figures
Volume 3a section 4
Volume 3a section 6
Volume 3b Visualisations
Volume 4 Technical Appendices
Other supporting documents
Frequently asked questions
Do you still have questions about the Watchman Energy Park?
Do you still have questions about the Watchman Energy Park? You can now use a new AI based tool, called AssetChat, on our dedicated AssetFace page to find out more about the project. We’ve also drafted responses to some key questions about the project. Click the below link to find out more:
Get in touch
We are interested in engaging with wind and solar asset owners, land-owners, developers and funders.