COMMUNITY leaders in Peebles are refusing to support a fighting fund being set up to block a windfarm in the Borders.

Several community councils in the area have mounted strong protests against the plan to erect 18 turbines at Cloich Forest near Eddleston.

But the Royal Burgh of Peebles and District Community Council is determined not to be swayed by the vocal groups opposed to the scheme.

“We have been asked if we are prepared to join in the opposition and contribute to a fighting fund but I have said there is divided opinion,” said community council chairman Alasdair Stewart.

“I made the point that we haven’t discussed this yet and to come to a definitive view we’d have to discuss it on a wider basis.

“It seems to be that the people who are against windfarms are more vociferous.” Figures of between £2,000 and £5,000 are being sought to go towards the legal fees that might be required in a public inquiry.

Community council vice chairman Crick Carleton said: “I am reluctant to see money spent on this where we have a divided community. But if the decision is based on a site visit before it reaches a hearing we are off the hook anyway.” He added that the idea of a plebiscite - similar to a referendum - to elicit the views in Peebles was attractive. But instead the community council will send a letter expressing its views to the government reporter.

A pre-examination ahead of a public inquiry into the proposal at Cloich Forest was held at the Eastgate Theatre in Peebles last week.

The community councils of Eddleston and Manor, Stobo, and Lyne have already expressed their opposition to the plan and Scottish Borders Council has said it would cause unacceptable harm to the landscape.

Energy minister Fergus Ewing has referred it to the Scottish government’s directorate of planning and environmental appeals.

The Cloich Farm application is one of three windfarm schemes - all close together - being proposed in the hills west of Eddleston.

At Hag Law there is a proposal for eight turbines - reduced from the original application for 11 - and a scheme for a further seven of the energy-producing structures has been put forward at Kilrubie.

Scottish Borders Council can determine the Hag Law and Kilrubie applications as they are smaller projects. It has already rejected a proposal for a six-turbine extension to the 11 already in place at Glenkerie near Biggar.