Glenkiln Solar Farm will be located around 1km west of Lamlash and will provide enough renewable energy to meet one quarter of the island’s domestic power needs. The £5 million project will be the largest 100% community-owned scheme of its kind in Scotland.

Arran Community Renewables was set up in 2020 by trustees of Arran Eco Savvy and is wholly owned by its members. It provides an opportunity for residents to own a stake in the provision of local renewable energy, alongside the establishment of a new community benefit fund for the island.

With planning consent secured, the focus of the project now turns to securing construction finance, increasing local membership and maximising opportunities for community benefit. Arran Community Renewables will be supported at this stage by Democratic Finance Scotland, as it leads one of the largest community share raises of any UK energy project to date.

Chris Grainger, director, Arran Community Renewables, said: “With this decision, we move one step closer to realising the full potential of true community-led renewables and the benefits that a project like this can bring to the island. The hard work is not over, but we look forward to the next stage - securing construction finance, growing our local membership and getting boots on the ground.”