What you can do

If you are keen to express a view on a wind farm planning application, there are a number of routes open to you.

Reach out

Developers are required to conduct community consultation exercises and publicise these through their development sites and local media outlets.

If the application is below 50Mw (Section 36) level, you can express your views to your local community council, your local Scottish Borders Councillor, and members of the Scottish Borders Planning Committee. If you feel you have an issue beyond council level you can contact your MSP or MP.

There contact details can be found here.

FIND YOUR COUNCILLOR

Visit this link to find your local councillor https://scottishborders.moderngov.co.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

FIND YOUR MSP

Visit this link to find your local MSP https://www.parliament.scot/msps

FIND YOUR MP

Visit this link to find your local MP https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMPd

FIND MEMBERS OF THE SCOTTISH BORDERS PLANNING AND BUILDING STANDARDS COMMITTEE

Visit this link to find your local councillors https://scottishborders.moderngov.co.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=136

Advice for letter / email

If the application is for a major wind farm development above 50MW (section 36), you can express your views directly to the Energy Consents Unit which handles these applications.

ENERGY CONSENTS UNIT

Send your email / letter to representations@gov.scot

In the subject line, include the ECU Reference (which can be found on the ECU website for each individual development, here)

Include your name, postal address and email.

State the reasons for your comment objection, e.g. landscape and visual impact, nature and the environment / biodiversity, energy generation, noise and flicker, transport implications, construction disruption, etc.

For more information on understanding the planning system and writing an o letter, please refer to this resource (here) from Planning Democracy.