Thursday April 24th 2025
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Councillors have reluctantly agreed not to object to a large solar park on stunning moorland in Berwickshire despite acceptance that it adds to the landscape’s “incongruous man-made clutter” .
Fred Olsen Renewables applied to the government’s Energy Consents Unit for permission to put up about 55,000 panels near the Crystal Rig wind farm – about four miles (6km) from the village of Cranshaws.
This week Scottish Borders Council’s Planning & Building Standards Committee agreed not to oppose the scheme in the Lammermuir Hills Special Landscape Area.
Councillors had been asked to express an opinion on the application, with the ultimate decision remaining with the consents unit.
However, if the committee had objected to the scheme it would have gone to a public inquiry.
Councillor Marshall Douglas, SNP for Tweeddale East, said: “Just looking at the map it is a very strange looking site which is edged in there between the contours on the land.
“It looks more like an upright vacuum cleaner from the picture and maybe that’s because it’s hoovering up the landscape.
“To go against this application would be in a sense shutting the door after the horse has bolted, a lot of the damage has already been done to the landscape by the existing wind turbines.
“Given the need to move to net zero, the move towards energy production, we need to go along with this and reluctantly accept the proposal.”
Councillor Simon Mountford, Conservative for Kelso & District, agreed, adding: “As you say there has already been significant impact by the wind turbines and as the landscape architect says this proposal adds a new element which increases the ‘clutter of incongruous man-made elements’ within this part of the Lammermuir Hills.”
Berwickshire SNP councillor Donald Moffat said he felt the proposals would be quite well screened from general public view.
He said: “This is in my ward. What I’ll say about this is that the Lees Hill proposal, which was at the last meeting, was a step too far, as opposed to this one.
“It’s in a plateau, the hills are higher up and the actual solar panels are down in the plateau.”
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