The Planning and Building Standards Committee of Scottish Borders Council met on Monday 01 June 2026 to consider several applications. The committee resolved to object to the Glenburnie Wind Farm proposal due to significant adverse impacts on scheduled monuments and an inadequate assessment of the grid connection. They also refused the Monashee Farm wind farm application, citing significant adverse landscape and visual impacts, cumulative effects, and insufficient information regarding the grid connection. A temporary meteorological mast at Hillhouse, Oxton, was approved for a further two years, and a planning permission for a change of use at Ettrick Primary School to a community hub was approved.

Glenburnie Wind Farm

The committee resolved to object to the proposed Glenburnie Wind Farm, located east of Longcroft Farmhouse, near Oxton. The primary reasons for objection were the significant adverse impacts on the setting of three Iron Age hillforts – Addinston, Longcroft, and Glenburnie – which are scheduled monuments of national importance. The scale and siting of the proposed 12 wind turbines, each up to 220 metres in tip height, were deemed to detract from the intervisibility between these forts and dominate key views, thereby eroding their cultural significance.

Furthermore, the committee noted that the potential environmental effects of the project's grid connection had not been adequately assessed, a point highlighted by the recent Raeshaw Farms Limited v Scottish Ministers court decision. This lack of information meant that the full environmental impacts of the project as a whole could not be considered, contrary to NPF4 Policy 11.

While acknowledging the proposal's contribution to renewable energy targets and its potential economic benefits, the committee concluded that these did not outweigh the demonstrable harm to the heritage assets and the incomplete environmental assessment. The council's Archaeology Officer and Historic Environment Scotland had both raised objections on heritage grounds.

The proposal, which included a battery energy storage system with a capacity of up to 50 megawatts, was a revision of an earlier plan for 19 turbines. The reduction in the number of turbines was noted as having addressed some landscape and visual concerns, particularly from the Leader Valley and Oxton. However, concerns remained regarding the visual prominence of the remaining turbines from elevated locations and their cumulative impact with other wind farms in the Lammermuir Hills.

Monashee Farm Wind Farm

The committee refused the application for a wind farm development at Monashee Farm, near Grantshouse. The refusal was based on significant adverse landscape and visual impacts, unacceptable cumulative effects, and insufficient information regarding the grid connection.

The proposed development, comprising three turbines up to 180 metres high, was considered to introduce large-scale turbines into the lowland landscape of The Merse, creating a step change from the existing pattern of development. The linear layout of the turbines and their spacing were noted as problematic, particularly from views towards Edin's Hall Broch, fort and settlement (SM90134), and Cockburn Law. The visual impacts were deemed to go beyond a localised level, affecting receptors up to 7.24 kilometres away, including the A6112 road, Core Path 85 leading to Edin's Hall, and the attraction of Edin's Hall itself.

Cumulative impacts were also a significant concern, with the proposed turbines having the effect of drawing more distant or smaller-scale turbines into the foreground, contributing to the perception of the landscape becoming a turbine landscape rather than a landscape with turbines.

Similar to the Glenburnie Wind Farm application, the committee highlighted the lack of adequate assessment of the grid connection's environmental effects, citing the Raeshaw Farms Limited v Scottish Ministers ruling. This meant that significant weight could not be placed on the development's contribution to renewable energy targets.

While acknowledging the potential economic benefits and the contribution to renewable energy targets, the committee concluded that these were modest in scale and did not outweigh the significant adverse environmental impacts. The application was therefore refused, contrary to NPF4 Policy 11 and LDP Policy ED9.

Meteorological Mast at Hillhouse, Oxton

The committee approved the renewal of planning permission for a temporary meteorological mast at Land Northwest of Hillhouse, Oxton, for a further two years. The 100-metre high mast, which monitors wind data, was originally granted permission for two years in August 2022 and has since been implemented. The application sought to extend this consent until 2031.

The mast is located within the Lammermuir Hills Special Landscape Area, south of the Dun Law wind farm. While visible, its slender structure and temporary nature were considered to limit its visual impact, particularly from residential receptors and longer distances. The Ministry of Defence had no objection, subject to the continuation of existing conditions regarding infra-red aviation lighting and charting.

Conditions were attached to ensure the bird deflectors on the guy wires are maintained, that infra-red aviation lighting is used, and that the mast is removed and the site reinstated to its original condition within six months of decommissioning.

Ettrick Primary School Community Hub

Full planning permission was granted for alterations and a change of use of the former Ettrick Primary School to a community hub, including a bunkhouse and multi-use space. The proposal involves primarily internal reconfigurations, with limited external alterations including an access ramp and an enlarged window opening.

The application was supported by letters from local residents who highlighted the need for accommodation for walkers and cyclists and the potential economic benefits to the area. Objections raised concerns about residential amenity, water supply issues, the appropriateness of a commercial use, and potential unsupervised activity.

The committee noted that the scale of the proposal was modest and constrained by the existing building. The Council's Environmental Health Officer raised no objections regarding noise or disturbance. Conditions were attached to ensure appropriate flood evacuation measures, the protection of trees, the provision of an adequate water supply, post-construction ecological enhancements, and details of external bin storage. A condition restricting the bunkhouse occupation to holidaymakers for periods not exceeding four weeks was also imposed to prevent permanent residential use.

Revocation of Planning Permission at The Bungalow, Eastcote

The committee approved the making of an Order to revoke planning permission 10/00757/FUL, which had granted retrospective permission for the change of use of domestic garages to a knitting contract workshop and the erection of a storage shed at The Bungalow, Eastcote, near Hawick. The original permission was personal to the applicants and restricted the use to them only.

The applicants have confirmed that due to health issues, they can no longer operate the business and have agreed to the revocation of the planning permission. As a result, the risk of compensation claims against the council was considered minimal. The owners agreed to cover the costs of advertising the revocation.

Appeals and Reviews

The committee received an update on appeals and local reviews. No new appeals had been received or decided in the past month. There were five outstanding review requests and three reviews that had been determined, with the decision of the appointed officer being upheld in all cases. The outstanding reviews related to proposals for dwellinghouses in various rural locations, including Barn West Of Oakwood House, Thorniedean House, Elmsfield Broughton, Slitrig Cottage Hawick, Land North Of Hareheugh View Hume, Land North Of Burnbrae Farm Cottages Nenthorn, and Land West Of Nenthorn House Nenthorn.