September 3, 2011
Scotland

New Ashkirk wind farm plan

Selkirk Weekend Advertiser, www.selkirkweekendadvertiser.co.uk 3 September 2011

A fresh wind farm application is to be submitted for the Langhope Rig area near Ashkirk, four years after campaigners thought they had defeated a previous plan.

About 1,000 residents this week received leaflets informing them that another wind farm development, just south of the Langhope Rig site at Barrel Law, may be on its way.

Livingston-based ABO Wind UK says it intends formally submitting its plans for seven turbines, each 125metres high, to SBC “around the end of this year”.

Scottish Borders Council rejected the previous bid for 10 giant wind turbines. The proposal, between the Ale Water and Ettrick Water, was highly visible from the monument/viewpoint in honour of poet Will Ogilvie. It was deemed unacceptable in terms of its impact on the landscape by the planning committee.

The next year, the near-400 objectors were stunned when the project was granted consent on appeal to the Scottish Government.

Work on that development has yet to get under way.

ABO’s proposed generating capacity will be 21 megawatts, enough to meet the demands of 13,000 households, with access tracks being created from the B711 between Roberton and Alemoor Loch.

As part of its proposals, the company is proposing to set up a community trust fund to deliver more than £2million during the 25-year life of the wind farm, to be used for local community projects.

The site includes or adjoins four community council areas – Hawick, Ettrick and Yarrow, Lilliesleaf, Ashkirk and Midlem and Upper Teviotdale and Borthwick Water – and these bodies have this week been given advance notice of the planning application.

ABO has organised two exhibitions which will take place from 10am till 8pm at Roberton Village Hall on Wednesday, September 21 and at Ashkirk Village Hall the following day.

“The site is relatively isolated with good wind speeds and ease of access to the National Grid,” said ABS’s project manager Jenny Walsh, urging a large turnout for the events.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/09/03/new-ashkirk-wind-farm-plan/