28 Aug 2024
This proposed development near Heriot has been repeatedly rejected. The developer has now launched a further appeal to Scottish Borders Council.
Energie Kontor has submitted an appeal against the decision by Scottish Borders Council to refuse permission for the Wull Muir wind farm development.
The proposed development comprises eight turbines with a tip height of 150 metres.
This development has been repeatedly rejected.
Planning permission was originally refused in February 2020 due to the visual impact of the development and its location, near Heriot, on the Moorfoot Hill Escarpment.
Local residents were concerned that the turbines would be visible from miles around and the development would have a significant impact on the beautiful views that have been cherished for generations.
Concerns were also raised due to the proliferation of wind farms in the immediate area.
Wull Muir’s proposed location is adjacent to an existing development, Carcant, which has three 107 metre-high turbines. Just to the east are the Toddleburn, Dun Law Phase 1, Dun Law Phase 2 and Keith Hill wind farms (78 turbines in all) while Bowbeat wind farm, also nearby, has 24 turbines.
A planning appeal for Wull Muir was dismissed in October 2020.
The increasing proliferation of turbines has a significant impact on a very rural part of Scotland, and may curtail tourism in the area.
Concerns have been raised that the amount of renewable energy generated in Scotland is already above the predicted energy demand for the whole of Scotland by 2050, according to Ofgem.
The additional renewable energy that is generated from wind power will not be used until the National Grid has been upgraded, a major infrastructure project expected to take many years.