Our OnPath Together development approach means that we prioritise local businesses like Duncan Plant Hire in New Cumnock when tendering for work to construct our projects. Duncan Plant Hire won the contract to undertake the site investigation works at Lethans Wind Farm, which was consented in March 2018.
Once operational Lethans Wind Farm will generate enough clean electricity to power 140,000 homes. The site will generate over £15 million in community funds during its lifespan, as well as creating significant benefits for the local environment and local businesses.
Not only are we dedicated to using local contractors and businesses during the construction phase of Lethans Wind Farm, there will also be a £1.3 million skills and training fund for the first five years of the project. Which could support up to 440 local unemployed people to get into work and/or training. This is all part of our wider approach to deliver community benefits which reflect the priorities of the local community.
£1 million per MW
OnPath Together commits to £1 million per MW being spent in the local area of all new onshore wind projects.
65% local lifetime spend
OnPath Together means we target 65% of the lifetime spend on a windfarm locally.
£1.3 million for skills and training
Funds available in the first five years of the project. Which could support up to 440 local unemployed people.
An interview with Campbell Duncan of Duncan Plant Hire
Supporting local investment, jobs and skills
In line with our OnPath Together approach to use local contractors wherever possible Duncan Plant Hire were appointed to provide plant and heavy machinery needed to undertake the site investigation work at Lethans. The work included an extensive geological assessment and an environmental study to help OnPath Energy understand the local ecosystem.
A large percentage of the workforce from Duncan Plant Hire live in the surrounding area and the owner of Duncan Plant Hire, Campbell Duncan expressed that the Lethans project has given his team a great opportunity to work locally and has even attracted great interest from other locals looking for work, with the prospect of working on a project close to home, rather than traveling hours away from their families.
60% of the workforce will all be very local, within 15 – 20 miles of the yard. Local contracts attract local guys to work with my company because they know they’re going to be close to home as opposed to being four hours away giving them a better work life balance.
Campbell Duncan Owner of Duncan Plant Hire.
Projects like our Lethans Wind Farm bring more than just direct jobs in the form of contractors and engineers, Campbell described the local area as having “a buzz about all the shops” and that Lethans was keeping everyone in the local community busy, all the way down to the local paper shop with other contractors bringing trade to the area.
Supporting a just transition
Working With local businesses
When developing project proposals, we consider how things are connected, we see the bigger picture and always look to prioritise local contractors wherever possible to build community and economic value.
We strive to maximise the economic benefits our work brings to local economies, and we use distance from our sites as a key part of the tendering process when we decide who to work with. By working with contractors and people close to our sites we are able to support the local communities through investment, jobs and skills, encouraging both the up-skilling of the existing workforce as well as showcasing the great opportunities our projects bring to potential future workers.
This is just one of the ways that we are working to support a just transition to renewable energy, which is fair, inclusive and benefits everyone.