I would like to thank Councillor Alec Nicol for his most enlightening items in the April issue of Kelso Life and I wish to congratulate him on his principles, conviction and plain common sense in opposing the proposal to erect a 70-metre high wind turbine at Pinnaclehill, on the very edge of Kelso.
Would that more members of the Cheviot area committee had displayed similar spinal fortitude, on behalf of their electorate, to prevent this eyesore from completely ruining Kelso.
The importance of this issue was emphasised by Sally Gillespie's ex
cellent article in last week's Southern. I do not want to cover the same ground again, but wish to highlight some key aspects of this whole sorry business.
I find it inconceivable that a matter of such magnitude could possibly be decided without any consultation with the people of Kelso. The applicant should have been required to provide full exposure, complete with graphic evidence and artistic impression of what the obscenity will look like, during an appropriate consultation period before approval was even contemplated. Supermarket development and traffic systems receive such attention.
The whole matter of the safety of the local environment has been paid scant, if any, attention. Not only is the entire Pinnaclehill industrial complex within 200 yards of the turbine, but the new Pinnaclehill supermarket and serviced amenity area will also fall within the catchment of the site.
The recommendation of the head of planning and building standards that the application be refused was totally ignored, as was the advice that the turbine "could not be accommodated into the landscape". The granting of the application is surely a case of amateurs ignoring professional advice.
I reiterate the point made in TheSouthern article that this decision has opened the floodgates to a proliferation of these eyesores.
Shall we have a turbine in The Square to power the town hall clock or perhaps another at the abbey to run the floodlights? I think not. I find it intolerable that the perspective of this issue has been totally distorted. We are talking about the future of Kelso as a desirable and profitable tourist attraction against the electricity bill of a private company.
I trust that those members of the Cheviot area committee who voted for the proposal because they could see no detrimental impact on Kelso can live with their consciences and the electorate, come re-election time. I trust their guide dogs will do well in the Kelso Dog Show next month.
GRAEME MORRISON
Marchcleugh Cottage
Jedburgh
The full article contains 424 words and appears in Southern Reporter newspaper.
