UK's largest onshore wind farm in bid to attract tourists

ScottishPower has started work on a multi-million pound visitor centre that they hope will transform the largest on-shore wind farm in the UK into a tourist destination.

The centre at the Whitelee Wind Farm 12 miles south of Glasgow will be the first of its kind in the UK and will include a detailed exhibition explaining the construction of the £300 million wind farm. It will also include an education hub where trained staff will be able to teach visitors about the operation of wind farms and about renewable energy.

To mark the start of construction Secretary of State for Scotland Des Browne MP joined developers ScottishPower Renewables for a celebratory turf-cutting ceremony on Friday.

The new visitor centre forms part of a wider programme seeking to open the Whitelee Forest and Eaglesham Moor area to public access. Around 82km of roads and tracks have been built in order to construct the 140 wind turbines that are to be built at Whitelee 55 of which have been completed so far.