INVERCLYDE'S skyline is changing as the first of eight massive wind turbines is installed in the hills above Greenock.

The £35m Inverclyde Wind Farm is beginning to take shape, several years after the development was first announced.

A huge pillar is now visible on the hillside from as far away as the middle of Greenock town centre.

Convoys have been bringing parts to the site over the last six weeks as work intensifies.

The construction firm behind the project today thanked local people for their patience.

Groundwork started on the site a year ago with the firm BayWa R.E. facing some bumps in the road.

Now the first of the towering structures - which will be 110m tall when the blades are in place - has appeared near to Corlic Hill.

The remaining seven will follow in the next month or so.

The final convoy delivery has been made to the site, with a wideload vehicle - escorted by the police - carrying a generator from the King George V Dock in Glasgow down the M8/A8 and up through Port Glasgow to the entrance of the wind farm.

Head of construction Stuart Cameron told the Telegraph: "We have faced a few challenges. "Work stopped in March and we didn't get the site operational until May.

"The main problem since has been getting all the supplies we need.

"But we have the final convoy in and now we will start constructing the turbines.

"It is all weather-dependant but we should have them up by the end of October and we would hope to be finished on the site by the end of the year.

"We would like to thank local people for the patience and support throughout this.

"We have tried to keep disruption to a minimum.

"We have also been well served by the local council and the planning department.

"I would also like to thank the police for their assistance with the road escorts."

The plans for the wind farm proved controversial with high profile opponents including the Depute Provost David Wilson.

The original project was put forward by Renewables 2020 before German firm BayWa R.E took over.

The site is on parts of Burnhead, Lurg Moor and Maukinhill Moor and Corlic Hill.

Its turbines will be 213ft tall with a blade-tip height of up to 110 metres, or 330ft.