Wind farm ramifications causing ‘paralysis’ to communities, meeting hears

Work starts today, (Wednesday, April 19) on the Mart Street roundabout in Hawick to clear the way for turbines – measuring more than 130 metres – to pass through the town.

At a meeting of Teviot and Liddesdale Area Partnership members were told the turbines are being transported from Grangemouth, via St Boswells, to the Pines Burn wind farm, near Bonchester Bridge.

As a result there has been significant disruption to both communities and businesses, the meeting heard.

Philip Kerr, who chairs Southdean Community Council, said: “It moves by the day, quite honestly. There has been significant disruption. Hobkirk has been affected by the Earlside road closure, then we have got the roundabout situation in Hawick, where there has been significant paralysis, for want of a better word, where communities and local businesses have been affected. We’ve moved on to the A6088 potential road closure.

“We’ve obviously pitched in, as have local councillors, to Scottish Borders Council and there is a pending meeting, although we haven’t had a date confirmed yet, where we will get the various parties round a table to discuss how we can better communicate to communities.

“We’ve still got about 78 abnormal loads to come in sometime between now, and it was going to be May to August, but clearly that’s gone out the window now. It’s important that people express their views now, to know exactly what we can say to the developer about what we need to know when, so businesses are disrupted less than they might be otherwise up to now.”

Approval for 12 turbines at Pines Burn, on the Harwood Estate, near Hawick, was granted in 2018 following an appeal to the Scottish Government by German renewables developer Energiekontor UK.

Four-way traffic lights will be in place at Mart Street roundabout in Hawick today to allow the final removal of street furniture “to facilitate abnormal loads”. Nearby Linden Crescent and Union Street will also be closed until 8pm tonight (April 19th).

Scottish Borders Council says the lights will be manually controlled between 7am and 8pm to minimise disruption.

Meanwhile, it’s being reported a five-week road closure notice in place on the A6088 north west of Kirkton has been delayed.

Clair Ramage, who represents Hawick and Denholm on Scottish Borders Council, said: “As councillors, when we saw the closure for so long at Kirkton, that small piece of road, and the impact it would have on the community, with no real information until afterwards, it was a bit of a shock.

“I do wonder if June will be the date or if it will be pushed back again; but I do agree there has to be a meeting to discuss this.”