About us
Borders Wind Farm Watch is a cross-community coalition of individuals, groups and businesses which monitors wind farm development in the Scottish Borders.
The group was formally established in 2024 and comprises local interests and experts who have been actively engaged in the issues surrounding wind farm development for many years.
Borders Wind Farm Watch is not affiliated to any political party or developer and is supported by various businesses and individuals.
Wind farms in the Borders
The Scottish Borders has become a go-to area for wind farm development. There are over 30 significant schemes operational in the Scottish Borders Council area, three under construction, and over 20 in the planning system. Scottish Government planning policy is favourable to onshore wind development but states it should not be ‘at any cost’.
While communities have benefited from substantial payments from wind farm developers, there is growing concern about the proliferation of wind farms and their impact on landscape, nature and residential areas.
What we do
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Provide information and insights on wind farm issues and developments.
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Make information easy to access.
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Publicise issues raised by local people, groups and stakeholders.
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Encourage a constructive conversation regarding wind energy policy and future development .
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Help people find the most effective way of expressing their views.
Finding your voice
One particular issue that has emerged is the process for dealing with planning applications for major wind farm developments, the so-called Section 36 applications of more than 50 megawatt capacity.
Because these schemes are dealt with by the Scottish Government’s central Energy Consents Unit (ECU) some communities feel local voices are being sidelined in an over complicated planning process. What is clear is that local authority planning officers and the ECU are facing ever-increasing pressures on their resources due to the number of planning applications being made.