CONCERNS have been raised that the council is “setting a precedent” as a five-year extension to a Borders wind farm was approved.

Approval for 12 turbines at Pines Burn, near Hawick, was granted in 2018 following an appeal to Scottish Government by Energiekontor UK.

The operational life in the original application was 25 years, but Scottish Borders Council’s (SBC) planning and building standards committee gave a five-year extension the green light on Monday (October 4).

During the meeting, Duncan Taylor, of Energiekontor, said that lower power prices, expensive grid costs and “generally higher costs all round” had led to the extension bid.

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“Our ducks are in a row and we’ve committed millions to this project,” he said. “We just need a leg up from you [SBC] so that the Pines Burn consent can benefit from modern turbine technologies.”

On the turbines, SBC principal planning officers Barry Fotheringham said: “If they are considered acceptable for 25 years then they should be acceptable for 30 years.”

Although the extension was passed by the committee, it did not receive unanimous support.

Hawick councillor Neil Richards, of the Conservatives, said: “It [the report] says, ‘After 25 years affected receptors will be accustomed to experiencing the wind farm’, well I would like to beg to differ on that.

“Why not 40 years, why not 50? When are we getting the concrete out the ground and restoring the site? Twenty five years is good enough for me.”

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East Berwickshire councillor Jim Fullarton, also of the Conservatives, said he was “very concerned” by the extension application.

“We need to be very careful here,” he told the meeting. “Five years sounds very reasonable but are we setting a precedent?

“Other wind farm operators will be going, ‘If they can do it, let’s go for 30 years’.”

Responding to the concerns, Mr Fotheringham said: “I don’t think it will open the door for further applications but if it does we would have to assess any application on its own merits.”

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He added that Fallago Rig, Whitelaw Brae and Dunlaw – all Borders wind farms – have received extensions from either Scottish ministers or SBC.

“These extensions are something we need to start considering going forward,” said Mr Fotheringham. “Not only are turbines getting bigger, they are getting longer lifespans.”

Registering his approval, Galashiels councillor Andy Anderson, of the SNP, said: “I would rather see a wind farm continue over a longer period rather than look at a new position for wind farms.”

On the extension, Tweeddale West councillor Eric Small, of the Conservatives, added: “The costs are escalating daily and it’s a way for wind farms to spread the costs.”