Over half a million pounds worth of funding has been used to support vital community projects across South Lanarkshire thanks to a fund from a nearby wind farm.

Since Kype Muir started generating in 2019, OnPath Energy (formally known as Banks Renewables) has provided over £630,000 worth of funding to communities through its Kype Muir Community Partnership (KMCP).

With around £170,000 being allocated in 2024 alone, the renewables firm has said it has no plans to slow down and is encouraging local communities to apply for funding.

In fact, with Kype Muir Extension coming online to provide additional funding, and part of the overall fund being earmarked for larger, regionally significant projects - there are growing opportunities to deliver transformative projects in the local area.

Robin Winstanley, sustainability and community director with Hamilton-based OnPath Energy, said: “So far, we’ve been able to support over 90 projects with the KMCP fund supporting 18 of those in 2024 alone, which is fantastic.

“We’ve seen some brilliant projects come to life and it’s truly a testament to what can be achieved when local communities are put at the heart of renewable energy developments.

“We set up the KMCP to give local communities a say in how they can realise the benefits from both Kype Muir and now Kype Muir Extension wind farms. It’s been an incredibly rewarding project to be a part of and we will continue to deliver support where it is most needed.”

The KMCP has helped to fund several crucial community projects, notably the fund provided £19,500 to Climate Action Strathaven where a vital bus route from Strathaven to Glasgow was created. The new route has been a significant addition to the community dramatically improving accessibility to jobs and further education. Locals are now able to consider employment outside of Strathaven, in addition to this, students are also able to travel to Glasgow and the surrounding towns for study, without having to worry about accommodation. Additionally in 2023, Sandford Village Hall received record funding from the KMCP with £45,000 being used to improve disability access and address various accessibility issues.

George Smith, chair of the KCMP, added: “The support from the KMCP fund has been vital in empowering local communities to realise their potential by investing in vital projects and infrastructure, led by local community action plans.

“The impact of this funding will be felt for generations and with the works at Kype Muir Extension now finalised this support will go even further to help communities bring projects to life.”

The KMCP fund, guided by an independent panel, supports a diverse range of community needs. Priority is given to support projects in the Community Council areas of Lesmahagow, Sandford and Upper Avondale, Stonehouse, Strathaven & Glassford and Blackwood, Kirkmuirhill and Boghead.

The fund is part of OnPath’s commitment to local communities, aiming to maximise the economic, social, and environmental benefits of all its wind farms and ensuring it is local communities who lead the decision making when it comes to community benefits. These include community buildings, local art installations, and grassroots projects that aim to deliver social, economic, and environmental benefits to areas near the wind farm.

A core aim of the KMCP is to use community benefit funds to deliver the community action plans of the five areas local to Kype Muir Wind Farm. At the first KMCP meeting in March of 2019, £25,300 was awarded to five projects. These ranged from a £3,000 grant for defibrillators to a £7,500 grant for new training equipment for a rugby club.

Kype Muir Wind Farm, located approximately 5km south of the town of Strathaven, is a flagship development for OnPath Energy. Consisting of 26 turbines, the site has been fully operational since 2019. More recently OnPath Energy announced the completion of Kype Muir Extension, a neighbouring 15-turbine site which features the UK’s tallest and most efficient onshore wind turbines. Kype Muir and Kype Muir Extension are set to deliver community benefits equating to more than £770,000 each year made available to surrounding communities.