March 24, 2012
Scotland

Clovenfords raises concerns over wind farm site

The Southern Reporter, www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk 24 March 2012

Selkirk Regeneration Group (SRG) will meet Clovenfords community councillors next month after villagers expressed concern over one of its potential wind farm sites.

Voting has ended in a public ballot covering the 3,700 homes in the TD7 postcode area

But this month’s meeting of Clovenfords CC heard issues over the proximity of the North Common location, which could see three 102-metre high turbines erected.

The site is around four miles from the centre of the village, but none of its residents were included in the vote.

Clovenfords council secretary Stuart Bell said: “Selkirk Regeneration Company is to be complimented on putting together proposals which accommodate many of the criticisms of its past ideas in regard to community wind turbines. But one of the proposed options for wind turbines would now place the three largest structures right next to the wider Clovenfords district.

“These turbines would therefore be more clearly visible to some households in Clovenfords than they would be to many households in the area of TD7 – the area which is being consulted and are voting on the options. Clovenfords residents are not in TD7, so didn’t get a vote.”

As a result, Clovenfords CC has invited SRG representatives to its next meeting on April 23.

“It is helpful that this innovative proposal is subject to consultation at an early stage, before any planning application – but as a directly affected community we want to know what is intended and how it will impact us,” added Mr Bell.

Meanwhile, SRG held a series of public exhibitions across Selkirkshire earlier this month.

A total of 62 people attended four evening shows in Midlem, Ettrickbridge, Yarrowford and Ashkirk, while 165 visited the energy information day at the Victoria Halls last Saturday.

SRC director Lawrence Robertson said: “We were impressed by the way people engaged with us, whether for or against, and by the range of ideas we received for using income to benefit the community.”

Votes from the public ballot were counted on Monday, with the results announced in the next week.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/24/clovenfords-raises-concerns-over-wind-farm-site/