Plans for a massive windfarm development which would stretch across land in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders is being opposed by both councils.
Community Wind Power has submitted an application to the Scottish Government for the construction of 45 wind turbines at the Faw Side site, 6.8km to the north of Langholm.
The main site access is located within the Scottish Borders Council area, however 28 of the turbines would fall within land in the Annandale and Eskdale area.
Government ministers will decide whether or not to approve, rather than the councils, however both local authorities are expected to lodge formal objections.
The matter is due to be discussed at Dumfries and Galloway Council’s planning committee next Wednesday.
A report produced for the committee states that archaeologists from both councils on separate visits identified a “potentially significant cairn” that had been accidentally omitted from national archaeology records.
Concerned about the potential impact on the setting of “nationally important heritage assets,” the archaeologists are opposed to the windfarm going ahead.
The council report explained that the turbines would have a maximum tip height of 200 metres and construction of them all would take around 24 months.
This work would involve over 12,000 vehicle movements, of which nearly 3,500 would be by HGVs.
The windfarm is being proposed to have an operational life of 40 years, thereafter being decommissioned, and the turbines dismantled and removed.
The council’s landscape architect was also opposed to the development going ahead.
The officer described it as “an inappropriately scaled development in a sensitive location”.
He wrote: “The scheme overall and within Dumfries and Galloway occupies, for the most part, a highly sensitive landscape character type. Twenty-eight turbines are within or on the boundary of this landscape, which in turn is also designated as part of the Langholm Hills Regional Scenic Area.
“All of the turbines exceed 150m and would require visible aviation lighting on the nacelle and at mid tower height.
“Faw Side would be an overbearing and prominent influence in the local and midrange landscapes due to the scale of the turbines, windfarm spread, and the requirement for aviation lighting.”
In relation to meeting Scottish Government renewable energy targets, it is estimated that the proposed wind farm would produce enough electricity every year to power approximately 328,000 homes.
