Council object to wind farm – The Southern Reporter

Councillors have registered their objections to a 24-turbine wind farm
close to Lauder Common, which the Scottish Government will decide will be
built or not.

The detrimental impact of the development on the landscape character and on
visual amenity will communicated to the Government in an objection from the
council.

At a planning committee meeting on Monday, Ian Aikman, major development
manager, said the wind farm would have a “dramatic and harmful impact”.

His views were echoed by Councillor Stuart Bell, who added that the impact
would be “astonishing” from certain viewpoints and that he was concerned
that this area of the Borders would become a “wind farm landscape” if this
development goes ahead.

Councillor Bill White said: “The impact of this would be very significant,
both on the villages of Stow and Lauder and on the Common as well.

“The Common is one of the few places where you can get a feeling of the
solitude of the Borders.”

Committee chairman Ron Smith said that representations from several
statutory consultees also indicated various issues with a number of the
turbines, which they have suggested should be moved or deleted from the
scheme, indicating its unsuitability.