Plans progress on building UK’s largest onshore wind farm in Greater Manchester

Renewable energy developer, Cubico, has submitted plans for a meteorological mast to be erected to collect data ahead of seeking planning permission for a 100 MW wind farm, set to be the UK’s largest onshore wind farm, to be built at Scout Moor, near Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

The temporary 91-metre tall mast will collect detailed wind and weather data to assess the site’s prevailing environmental conditions and support the long-term operation of the proposed Scout Moor II wind farm.

The mast will be in place for a two years to ensure necessary data is collected for the project to move forward and for turbines to be in operation by Cubico’s 2030 target. Plans for the mast will ensure it is fully removable and can be decommissioned after two years to restore land to its original condition: it will have no concrete foundations and be secured with guy wires, railway sleepers, and stakes.

Plans for the Scout Moor II wind farm were first revealed in November 2024, with the launch of a public consultation and associated website detailing plans for the project. Once operational, the site could deliver enough electricity to meet around 10% of Greater Manchester’s household energy needs, powering the equivalent of approximately 100,000 homes. Cubico also estimate that the wind farm could bring into the city-region an estimated £200 million of investment and hundreds of skilled green jobs across its lifetime.

Developers are also proposing a multi-million-pound Community Wealth Fund to support local initiatives. A Moorland Restoration and Management Plan to restore nearby peatland will also promote local biodiversity and improve the scheme’s net-zero credentials through the moorland’s natural carbon capture abilities.

A full planning application for the wind farm is expected to be submitted in the second quarter of 2025.