A PUBLIC inquiry into a proposed wind farm above Eddleston will be held in May at the Peebles Hydro Hotel.

Cloich Wind Farm LLP wants to erect 18 turbines on a 1100-hectare site over Crailzie Hill, Ewe Hill and Peat Hill.

The green energy company reduced the size of turbines from its original application by 17 metres to a height of 115-metres.

But the revised proposals still met with strong opposition from local groups as well as Scottish Borders Council.

Last year, the Peeblesshire News reported that energy minister Fergus Ewing had referred the application to the Scottish government’s directorate of planning and environmental appeals. And following a pre-inquiry meeting at the Eastgate Theatre in Peebles in December it has now been decided to hold the inquiry at the Hydro from Tuesday, May 26.

It is expected that the hearing could run for more than a week.

It is estimated that the wind farm would generate enough energy to power 30,000 homes.

And there was the potential for local communities to benefit from a fund of around £270,000 per year.

Reporters Karen Heywood and Stephen Hall will oversee the inquiry on behalf of the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals.