Friday June 27th 2025
East Lothian Eggs Limited farm
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
A free range egg company’ has won its fight to reduce carbon emissions with its own wind turbine despite concerns it would be too big.
East Lothian Eggs Limited applied to build a 67-metre high turbine to allow it to produce enough green energy to heat its sheds and operate its business at Howden Farm, near Gifford, in the county.
Their application was recommended for refusal by council planning officers who said the total height of the turbine was 20 metres higher than their limit for the area and the Ministry of Defence had said it would need infra red lights on its highest points, if approved as it is in a low flying zone for military manoeuvres.
However a meeting of East Lothian Council’s planning committee this week heard arguments that the policy setiing the maximum height was out-dated and claims modern turbines were bigger.
Scottish Greens Councillor Shona McIntosh called for policies surrounding turbines to be revised to take into account changes saying that while the proposed turbine was higher than council allowed it was, in her view, within national guidelines.
Representatives of the company told the meeting that they would need to install up to 10 wind turbines under the height in council policy to produce the same energy the one larger one would create.
In their design statement for the turbine, representatives from the egg company said the move would help it towards zero emissions and support the business’ ‘green credentials’.
They said: “Currently Howden Farm uses ground source heat pumps, an existing wind turbine and solar panels for electricity generation, however, the applicants do still rely on grid energy which is noted to be burdensome to the existing agriculture business.”
The application received one letter of support from someone who said they backed farmers who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, and two objections from people who were concerned about its impact on the surrounding Lammermuirs and horses and foals living on
the surrounding land.
Councillors raised concerns about the impact of the high turbine blades and noise on the neighbouring property and its horses.
However they agreed a condition would be added to any planning permission calling for tree screening to be used to mitigate it.
Planning convenor Norman Hampshire said concern about energy costs and the need to support local business, in this case, outweighed any impact on the landscape from the turbine.
The committee approved the application by six members to two with councillors Hampshire, Liz Allan, Donna Collins, Neil Gilbert, Shona McIntosh and Colin Yorkston approving it and councillors John McMilland and Andrew Forrest against it.
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