April 17, 2013
Scotland

Horn Burn wind farm developer bypasses planners

The Berwickshire News | 17 April 2013 | www.berwickshirenews.co.ukThe Berwickshire News | 17 April 2013 | www.berwickshirenews.co.uk

A second wind farm developer is bypassing the local planning authority and taking 
its application directly to the Scottish Government.

EnergieKontor submitted a planning application for ten 110m turbines at Horn Burn near Reston in October.

Scottish Borders Council planners wrote to wind farm developers last year indicating that masts above 100m would be recommended for refusal in Berwickshire.

Negotiations had been on-going about Horn Burn and the application was due to go before the planning committee this month.

Within the past few days, however, EnergieKontor decided to follow the lead of the Penmanshiel wind farm developer, RES, which appealed in October to the Scottish Government for a decision on its 15 (100m high) turbine wind farm because “Scottish Borders Council hasn’t determined the application within the timescale it is required to meet”.

EnergieKontor has written to Scottish ministers about “the failure by Scottish Borders Council to determine an application for planning permission for the construction of a wind farm comprising ten turbines, substation building, internal access tracks and associated infrastructure on land South East of Reston Hill Farmhouse, Eyemouth, Scottish Borders.”

A spokesman for SBC said: “The submission of this planning appeal effectively ‘stops the clock’ for Scottish Borders Council. Local planning officials are now working on an appeal statement relating both to the planning application and an appeal statement submitted last week.”

A decision now needs to be made on whether there will be written response to the appeal, a hearing or an official enquiry.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/04/17/horn-burn-wind-farm-developer-bypasses-planners/