Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
• Oran Group (waste management); and
• Weir Engineering Services (Minerals, Oil & Gas and Power engineering).
15.3.24 Public sector employment is slightly higher than nationally and regionally, possibly reflecting
the small size of the Local Authority, and its requirement to provide the same level of services
to its inhabitants as larger Local Authorities.
15.3.25 Improvements in infrastructure have helped to encourage businesses to Clackmannanshire.
The Stirling - Alloa - Kincardine rail route reopened in May 2008 and is considered to be of
critical importance to the regeneration of Alloa and Clackmannanshire in general, as well as
providing a link for coal to Longannet Power Station in Fife. The Clackmannanshire Bridge
(new Kincardine bridge) opened in November 2008 provides the area with a link into the
Scottish motorway network at Gartarry. In addition, the A907 Alloa-Stirling road has been
upgraded and provides links to the west, and there has been significant investment in housing,
retail developments (including supermarket developments and mixed use developments in old
brewery complexes) schools and a new hospital 16 . A Business Improvement District covering
200 companies in 10 business parks allows businesses to benefit from resource efficiency
improvements, cost savings and performance enhancements.
15.3.26 The Forth Valley Regional Economic Development Strategy 2008–2012 aims to use the
advantageous location of the Forth Valley (Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling) to increase
its contribution to Scotland’s sustainable economic growth. In particular, it aims to develop a
growing and sustainable economy, a competitive and productive skills base and an attractive,
efficient and connected business environment. To meet the aims of this strategy,
Clackmannanshire is aiming to increase the proportion of its business base in finance and
business (in line with the rest of Scotland), to increase economic activity and decrease the
unemployment rate – especially among 16-19 year olds who are not in education, employment
or training, to increase levels of qualifications among the workforce, to reduce the numbers of
people living in deprived areas (in 2008, Clackmannanshire had the 5 th most deprived share of
population living in the 15% most deprived areas) and to attract people to Clackmannanshire
while maintaining the quality of the natural and built environment.
Potential Effects Arising
15.3.27 Economic effects can be expected during the development, construction, operational and decommissioning
phases of the proposed wind energy development. These effects will differ in
their scale, duration and geographic coverage. Potential effects can be split into expenditure,
and direct and indirect employment.
Expenditure
15.3.28 The proposed wind energy development is a large construction project, with a considerable
financial investment. This money will be spent on a range of activities during design,
development and construction of the proposed wind energy development, including the
procurement of the principal wind turbine components from suppliers, and placement of
contracts for the civil and electrical infrastructure works required.
November 2010 Chapter 15 Page 7
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