THE BRIEF

Securing a successful reputational withdrawal for a wind farm development.

Orbit Communications supported Koehler Renewable Energy UK’s (KRE UK) proposals for Tarvie Wind Farm over a two-year programme of extensive public affairs, PR, digital and design support. KRE UK’s proposals for the Tarvie Wind Farm were for land south of the A835, 3.7 km north-west of Contin.

As a Section 36 development, the initially planned proposals were for up to 11 wind turbines and a 30MW battery storage system.

The planning team elected to withdraw the plans due to changing economic modelling, weighing the site’s viability, the challenges of NESO grid reforms, and global energy uncertainty, and concluded that the site was economically unviable for the time being.

Our brief at this stage was to activate strategic messaging that clearly demarcated community objections to proposals from this business decision to minimise reputational impact on other sites, while retaining the option to revisit the scheme.

Our Approach

  • Delivered an integrated public affairs, public relations, digital and design campaign emphasising early engagement with local residents and political stakeholders.
  • Introduced ongoing updates, including early website and news sections, alongside quarterly community liaison group meetings, including a dedicated public session to mitigate rumours about the project.
  • Led an extensive stakeholder and community engagement programme with residents, elected representatives, businesses and community organisations, ensuring concerns were addressed openly and transparently well before any formal, statutory community consultation.
  • Built positive relationships with regional media, including providing briefings and information packs distilling complex technical information down into jargon-free messaging.
  • Coordinated the final announcement of the postponement by capitalising on early engagement work across politicians, the public, residents’ groups and the media; staggered comms approach including landowners, stakeholders and a press release.
  • Offered an additional webinar to articulate reasons for withdrawal, contingent on demand.

Outputs & Outcomes

  • Successfully managed communications around the withdrawal of Tarvie Wind Farm, clearly positioning the decision as one driven by economic viability, grid reform and wider energy-market uncertainty, rather than community opposition.
  • Secured accurate and factual media coverage, with several follow-up enquiries but no reporting suggesting the withdrawal was directly linked to opposition to the scheme.
  • Protected Koehler Renewable Energy’s wider reputation and helped retain the option to revisit the development in future should market and grid conditions improve.
  • Maintained stakeholder and community confidence throughout the process, with positive feedback and notes of thanks received for the open and transparent way engagement was handled.
  • Delivered a successful reputational withdrawal, demonstrating the value of sustained early engagement in countering misinformation and protecting relationships with communities, political stakeholders and the media.