Community cash pledge over Barrel Law wind farm
Community Wind Farm. Endurance E-3120 50kW wind turbine Overlangshaw Farm
A WIND farm developer is claiming its eight turbine planning bid near Selkirk could generate more than £2 million for the surrounding villages.
ABO Wind submitted plans this week to construct the Barrel Law farm around three miles south of Ettrickbridge, close to the approved but yet to be constructed 10-turbine Langhope Rig site.
The Livingston firm says the turbines would be 125 metres high at the blade’s tip and generate 24 megawatts of power.
And if successful, ABO Wind are claiming it would benefit local households, with the scheme within the boundaries of Lillesleaf, Ashkirk and Midlem Community Council.
A spokesman said: “To ensure that the local community gains direct benefit from the Barrel Law Wind Farm, ABO Wind proposes to contribute an annual payment to a community benefit fund.
“The fund would be allocated to support local projects and, based on the final size of an approved project, could result in well over £2 million being invested locally during the life of the wind farm.”
But one concern for users of the B711 – which will be used to access the site – may be ABO Wind’s prediction that during construction as many as 30 heavy goods vehicles will be using the road every day to reach Barrel Law.
But in a statement to Scottish Borders Council, the company said: “Traffic levels during the operational phase of the development will be negligible, and during decommissioning will be less than predicted for the construction phase.”
The report added that no significant affects would occur on bird species such as black grouse that are found on the site, currently used for sheep grazing and game shooting, or the nearby Alemoor West Loch.
But it admits the the wind farm would affect the landscape view up to three miles away.
Selkirkshire councillor Vicky Davidson said: “I doubt you would be able to see it from Ettrickbridge or Ashkirk and definitely not from Midlem or Lillesleaf unless you were high up.
“The council recently drew up a few areas where you might still be able to put a wind farm and I think this is not far from one of these areas.
“I should think the developers believe this site is less contentious than some others.”
ABO Wind held a public exhibition in Ashkirk last September and Roberton last month, ahead of their submission, and claimed 64 per cent of respondents approved of the development.
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Weather for Selkirk
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 2 comments to this article
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KarenWales
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 11:25 PMHere in North Wales we, too, have been offered financial bribes - sorry 'community benefit' - but many of realise it will never compensate us for the loss of our beautiful countryside; the potential impact on tourism and, therefore, jobs; a drop in value of our homes - if we can sell them at all; the noise from the huge turbines; lengthy disruption on our roads during the building process; and, the industrialisation of the landscape with turbines, access roads, sub stations and pylons. This money comes, in part, from our growing energy bills - they are not, in reality, actually 'giving' you anything. North Wales, like Scotland, is also under threat from hundreds of wind turbines, some as high as 145 metres (475 feet). The area is, again like Scotland, heavily reliant upon tourism, but who is going to choose to visit areas dominated by noisy turbines? Wind 'factories' are not green, especially as they are unreliable, ineffective and incredibly costly to consumers. The only people who benefit are the energy companies, many of which are based abroad, and landowners who stand to make a great deal of money from other people's misery. It's about time all the anti-windfarm groups in the UK - and there are hundreds of them - got together to halt the march of the turbines across our beautiful countryside and help save it for future generations.
norfolkboy14
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 08:23 AMWe need to get the Government onside, as well as local councils and others, if we are going to stop these wind turbines being built. Are you disillusioned by rising electricity prices, over dependence on the "green" dream [especially uneconomical and inefficient wind farms] and the destruction of our countryside then please register your objection to the Government by GOOGLING "E-PETITION 22958" and following the link. Please pass this message on to Councillors, members of your community and anyone else you know to persuade them to sign up too. If you are really concerned about wind turbines please write a letter promoting this petition to your local Newsletter and to the Editors of your local newspapers.
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