November 12, 2014
Scotland

Eskdalemuir wind farm zone changes considered

BBC News | 12 November 2014 | www.bbc.com

Proposals are being made to simplify a zoning system affecting wind farm developments around a Ministry of Defence station in southern Scotland.

At present the Eskdalemuir seismic monitoring site has a 10km exclusion zone and a 50km consultation zone.

A Scottish government working group is proposing replacing them with a single 15km exclusion zone.

It could free up sites across the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and beyond for developments.

Fears over the impact on seismic detection equipment at the station have blocked a number of wind farms in the past.

However, the MoD has revised its procedures and a working group is now proposing a more straightforward system.

According to experts from Keele University, that would free up numerous sites across the Borders.

Larger developments are decided by the Scottish government but Scottish Borders Council, which rules on smaller schemes, admitted any increase in wind farm applications was “potentially contentious”.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/11/12/eskdalemuir-wind-farm-zone-changes-considered/