AN APPLICATION for the Borders’s largest single wind farm is to go to a public local inquiry after councillors refused to support it.
When members of Scottish Borders Council’s Planning & Building Standards Committee met on Monday, they were recommended by officers not to object to an application for a 52 turbine wind farm on land east of Priesthaugh in Hawick.
The developer, Muirhall Energy, had made "significant changes" to project plans for its proposed Teviot Wind Farm, reducing the turbine numbers from the original 63.
These changes should result in reduced visibility of the project, and the company has also removed proposals for a solar array.
But by a majority of five to three, members of Scottish Borders Council’s Planning & Building Standards Committee refused support for the application.
If councillors had offered no objection to the application the final say on the matter would have been with the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit.
Now the bid will be considered by a government reporter via a public inquiry.
Concerns were raised over the adverse visual impact of the turbines, with maximum tip heights of up to 240 meters.
Further concerns have been raised that the development would compromise Hermitage Castle, one of the finest examples of a medieval castle in Scotland, and other monuments of national importance – the Tinlee Standing Stone, a 1.35-metre high pre-historic stone, and the Catrail Earthworks.
Councillor Marshall Douglas, who represents Tweeddale East for the SNP, said: “The scale of this development is far bigger than anything we have at the moment.
“Can you imagine something at 240 meters, that’s 816 feet? That is more than twice the limit of what a drone can fly at, which is 120 meters. The scale of these turbines is absolutely incredible.
“I have great concerns and I would be minded to go against this application.”
His view was echoed by Councillor Neil Richards, Conservative councillor for Hawick & Denholm, who raised the issue of potential for traffic congestion in the town he represents, the impact on peat at the site and going on to describe the application as “vandalism in the hills”.
The applicant says the development would make a substantial contribution towards the legally binding net zero energy targets while also providing a large onsite battery facility to store surplus energy generated on site for deployment by the grid when required.
During its 40-year operational period, it is anticipated that the development would generate £8.8 million GVA annually and will provide up to 29 jobs within the Borders.
