Local conservationists have warned wildlife will suffer if the council
gives the green light to a wind farm application south of Jedburgh
Developers Infinis have applied for their Cummings Hill 20MW seven-turbine
development about three miles south of Jedburgh, to the north of Chesters.
But both Butterfly Conservation and the Scottish Wildlife Trust have
concerns, especially in relation to the Green Hairstreak butterfly.
Dr Barry Prater, Butterfly Conservation’s East Scotland branch organiser,
has written to Scottish Borders Council alerting officials to how important
the proposed wind farm site is to butterflies and moths, particularly the
colony of Green Hairstreak butterflies, first found there in 2005.
Dr Prater said: “This is a widespread but very scarce butterfly in the
Borders, with perhaps only around 20 sites being known and some of them are
vulnerable. Although it has no protection in the UK it has suffered losses
in many areas through habitat destruction or deterioration and it is
regarded as one of the Borders’ most important species of butterfly.
“The location of the colony is such that the planned siting of turbines and
access routes will damage or possibly destroy it.”
And he said: “The habitat at this site is ideally suited to this butterfty
which relies on blaeberry as the foodplant for its caterpillar.
“We would recommend mitigation measures be taken; in particular the
re-siting of one or more turbines and access paths so as to avoid the known
site of the Green Hairstreak colony and to ensure that it is not damaged.”
Writing on behalf of the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Central Borders Group,
chairman Malcolm Lindsay also raised concerns about the butterfly
He states: “This colony is not mentioned in the Environmental Impact
Assessment submitted by the proposers … (and) is directly threatened by the
wind farm proposals. The proposed site of Turbine No 2 coincides with an
area of maximal density of the butterflies as does the turbine path
adjacent to the eastern corner of Belling Covert.
“We have no doubt that the installation of turbine and pathway as presently
proposed will result in severe damage to the colony and, most likely, to
its extinction.
The Green Hairstreak is “a distinctly local species” in the Borders, he writes.
He adds: “We know of only about 20 colonies, all of which are small and
vulnerable.
“The colony on Belling Hill (the windfarm site) is distant from its nearest
known neighbour colonies – on Ruberslaw (8km) and at Carter Bar (9km). In
the event of the Belling Hill colony being destroyed repopulation from
these sites would be very unlikely.
“We also know from field studies that Belling Hill is a rich habitat for
several species of moths. Uncommon local species include the Light Knot
Grass, Dark Tussock, Wood Tiger and Beautiful Yellow Underwing are found
there and point to the hill’s rich and healthy biodiversity.”
Infinis originally proposed 13 turbines in 2011 attracting opposition from
locals who immediately formed the Chesters Wind Farm Action Group.
The company cut the number to eight before settling on the seven 126.5m
turbines in the application they lodged in January this year.
The site falls within the protected Teviot Valleys special landscape area (SLA).
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