By Kathryn Wylie
New proposals revealed this week have revived the possibility of a wind
farm development being built near Roberton.
ABO Wind UK has revised its plans, previously thrown out three years ago,
for the site at Barrel Law, four miles south west of Ashkirk, two miles
north-west of Roberton and five miles west of Hawick.
The plans were initially refused by Scottish Borders Council and later
rejected on appeal by the Scottish Government as it had concerns over the
impact of the scheme on the landscape.
The new proposals see the number of turbines reduced from eight to seven
and the turbine cluster moved further north, towards the site of Langhope
Rig wind farm and further away from the Ale Water and the Ashkirk to
Roberton road.
ABO Wind UK head of development Clark Crosbie said: “The site is located in
an area identified as having the highest capacity for wind turbines in the
Scottish Borders Council’s draft renewable energy supplementary guidance,
and it is also located well outside the area being discussed for a proposed
Borders National Park. In addition, the site has good wind resource, a
readily available electricity grid connection, proven turbine delivery
route and is relatively isolated, with 15 homes within two miles of the
proposed wind turbines.”
Initial designs will go on display at a public exhibition on Thursday,
March 23, at the Forman Memorial Hall in Roberton between 1pm – 8pm and a
formal planning application could be submitted this summer.
The reappearance of the proposals has angered Chesters Wind Farm Action
Group chairman Philip Kerr. He said: “The communities were totally against
this previously so I am very disappointed that local opinion and views are
being ignored with the decision to refile.”
“The return of a previous application that has been refused at all levels
with only minor changes is another example of a failure to respect
community views.”
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