Southdean Community Council is hoping for a high turn out at an open
meeting from 11am to 8pm today (Thursday) to view plans for 13 wind
turbines at nearby Highlee Hill.
While the council members agree that wind farms have to form part of the
answer to Scotland’s quest for sustainable sources of energy, the country
already has more than half of all the UK’s onshore turbines.
At the moment, Southdean Community Council and the adjoining community
council areas are considering planning consent or scoping for 139 turbines.
Today, the developer RES, is holding an open meeting at Southdean Hall to
display their plans for the 13 turbines at Highlee Hill. The community
council is hoping that as many people as possible will take advantage of
this opportunity to look at the developer’s displays and ask questions
about the impact on the local area.
Chesters village’s outlook is directly onto this site and campaigners
against more turbines for this part of the Borders claim the setting of the
village will be permanently changed.
The planning is for 13 turbines, each of which will be up to 176 metres
high (for reference the highest turbines at Soutra are 75 metres high).
Medium intensity aviation warning lights are mandatory on structures over
150 metres high. The blade tips would be considered to be the top of the
structures and would therefore all be illuminated.
There are concerns about noise during construction of the wind farm, and
also during its operation. There are also concerns about access routes for
abnormal loads and HGVs.
Financial benefits will be offered to the local community, although the
community council says those figures are not yet established. However, a
£200 discount on an annual electricity bill for certain properties has
already been suggested, plus investment in the local economy.
“The community will have many views, both for and against the development,
and whatever yours is, it is important that you come along and get as much
information as possible,” said the community council this week.
RES had originally hoped to erect 37 turbines on the site but later revised
this downwards to 13. RES says it has had initial discussions with the
local community and that its planning application for Highlee Hill Wind
Farm is expected to be ready for submission in early 2016.
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