STEALTH' technology which could transform wind farms worldwide is to be tested in Glasgow.

STEALTH' technology which could transform wind farms worldwide is to be tested in Glasgow.

If successful, the "James Bond" hi-tech tool could result in £1million a year going to community projects in the area.

The move comes years after students at Glasgow's Caledonian University decided to investigate setting up a community wind farm for Castlemilk and Carmunnock.

After detailed investigations, it was decided to build three turbines on a site near the car park at Cathkin Braes at a cost of around £5.8million.

Sale of electricity to the National Grid and other users would have resulted in hundreds of thousands of pounds of profit for community projects.

But the plan was put on ice when the National Air Traffic Service banned new wind turbines due to the number which had sprung up around Glasgow Airport and along the flight paths.

Project development manager Margo Smith said air traffic controllers could not distinguish the turbines from aircraft on their radar.

But she did not give up and met staff from Qinetic, the former research and development division of the Ministry of Defence, which is working with Vestas Turbines.

The firm had used "stealth technology" to devise turbine blades which do not register on radar and were looking for a place to trial it.

They decided Cathkin Braes was an ideal location and are now about to lodge a planning application with the city council.

It is hoped it will be submitted later this month and if it gets the go-ahead, the high-tech turbine will be built and tested for six months.

Ms Smith said: "The technology is staggering - very James Bond.

"If it works, the implications for the industry are worldwide. Something amazing would be happening on our doorstep.

"The trial at Cathkin Braes would be the first trial of this technology to be carried out anywhere."

It's expected the three turbines would initially result in net profit of more than £250,000 a year, rising to more than £1m a year when any loan to build the project is repaid.

Ms Smith said: "The money will be used for local good causes in Castlemilk and Carmunnock."

Last week the Evening Times revealed the city council wants to build a wind farm with five turbines to power the city's street lights.