SCOTTISH Borders Council (SBC) has chosen not to raise any objections to a proposed new wind farm earmarked for land a few miles outside the region.

The global energy company Renewable Energy Systems (RES) has now submitted a planning application to Dumfries and Galloway Council in support of the Bloch Wind Farm, south of the B7068 near Langholm.

The proposed development would comprise of 21 three-bladed horizontal axis wind turbines with a maximum ground to blade tip height of 230 metres, in addition to a battery energy storage system.

Because of the close proximity to the Borders, the area’s local authority was invited to make submissions and observations.

In his response, Scott Shearer, SBC’s peripatetic planning officer, said: “Thank you for consulting Scottish Borders Council on the development. We have considered the merits of the proposed development upon the Scottish Borders and we are satisfied the development does not pose any significantly adverse implications. We therefore raise no objection to the proposal.”

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In its supporting statement with the application RES outlines how its plans changed after consultation with the community.

It said: “Bloch Wind Farm has been through a detailed design process, and we have taken account of feedback from the community and stakeholders, as well as the results of site surveys.

“This has resulted in a number of changes being made to the design to ensure that the wind farm sits sensitively into the existing landscape whilst maximising the low carbon, low cost energy generation.

“Changes made include reducing the size of the scheme to 21 wind turbines and reducing the tip height of 11 wind turbines, moving wind turbines away from areas of deep peat and to avoid encroaching watercourse buffers.”

The proposed wind farm would be located on land close to the existing 15 turbine Solwaybank Wind Farm, which was granted a 25-year operational life in 2020.