Planning submission

At the end of 2023 RES submitted a Section 36 application to Scottish Minsters for consent under the Electricity Act 1989 for its 19-turbine Longcroft Wind Farm proposal in Scottish Borders. 

The planning application and associated documents were made available to view on this page below and also on the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit (ECU) planning portal at www.energyconsents.scot (reference ECU00004774).

In addition, hard copies of this documentation have been arranged to be placed at the following locations for public viewing:

• Lauder Community & Leisure Centre, Old Causeway, E High St, Lauder TD2 6SX (Monday-Sunday, 7am-9pm)
• Oxton War Memorial Hall, Station Road, Oxton, TD2 6PL (24 hours – located in vestibule of the hall)

In November 2023, ECU began its statutory consultation to enable the public, as well as key consultees, to submit formal representations on the proposal.

Planning application and documentation

Public Notice - As published in the Border Telegraph, Southern Reporter, The Scotsman and the Edinburgh Gazette newspapers.

Planning Statement - Examines the national and local planning policy context for the Longcroft Wind Farm proposal, and the balance which needs to be struck between the need for wind energy development and the effect of the proposed development on the local environment. It also takes account of the benefits which could arise from the construction and operation of the development.

Pre-application Consultation Report (PAC) - Explains how and when the community was consulted before the planning application for the redesigned proposal for Longcroft Wind Farm was submitted to Scottish Ministers and how RES has responded to feedback from the community regarding the proposal.

Volume 1 - Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) Chapters:
Reports on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) work undertaken and examines the potential effects of the wind farm.

• Chapter 1 Introduction
• Chapter 2 Design Evolution & Alternatives
• Chapter 3 Proposed Development Description
• Chapter 4 Climate Change, Energy & Planning Policy
• Chapter 5 Approach to EIA
• Chapter 6 Landscape & Visual Impact
• Chapter 7 Archaeology & Cultural Heritage
• Chapter 8 Terrestrial Ecology
• Chapter 9 Ornithology
• Chapter 10 Hydrology, Hydrogeology & Geology
• Chapter 11 Traffic & Transport
• Chapter 12 Acoustic Assessment
• Chapter 13 Socio Economic, Tourism Land Use & Recreation
• Chapter 14 Aviation, Radar & Other Issues
• Chapter 15 Schedule of Mitigation

Volume 2a - Figures (EIAR Figures excluding LVIA):
Contains the figures (maps and drawings) associated with the EIA (excluding Landscape and Visual Assessment).

• Figure 1.1 – Site Location
• Figure 1.2 – Site Boundary
• Figure 1.3 – Proposed Development
• Figure 2.1 – Site Selection Results
• Figure 2.2 – Turbine Layout Evolution
• Figure 2.3 – Combined Constraints and Infrastructure Layout
• Figure 3.1 – Indicative Wind Turbine Elevation
• Figure 3.2a – Typical Wind Turbine Gravity Foundation
• Figure 3.2b – Typical Wind Turbine Piled Foundation
• Figure 3.3 – Typical Crane Hardstand
• Figure 3.4a – Typical Access Track
• Figure 3.4b – Typical Public Road Widening
• Figure 3.5 – Indicative Site Entrance Layout
• Figure 3.6 – Indicative AIL Access Route
• Figure 3.7 – Transfer Station
• Figure 3.8a – Typical Drainage Details
• Figure 3.8b – Typical Drainage Details
• Figure 3.8c – Typical Drainage Details
• Figure 3.8d – Typical Drainage Details
• Figure 3.9 – Typical Water Crossing
• Figure 3.10 – Indicative Whalplaw Burn Crossing
• Figure 3.11a – Indicative Substation Compound Layout
• Figure 3.11b – Indicative Substation Compound Elevation
• Figure 3.12 – Typical Telecommunications Mast
• Figure 3.13a – Indicative BESS Compound Layout
• Figure 3.13b – Indicative BESS Compound Elevations
• Figure 3.14 – Typical Cable Trench Details
• Figure 3.15 – Typical Temporary Construction Compound
• Figure 3.16a – Indicative Borrow Pit General Arrangement (BP1)
• Figure 3.16b – Indicative Borrow Pit General Arrangement (BP2)
• Figure 3.16c – Indicative Borrow Pit General Arrangement (BP3)
• Figure 3.17 – Typical Batching Plant Layout
• Figure 7.1 – Non-Designated Cultural Heritage Monuments
• Figure 7.2 – Designated Cultural Heritage Assets
• Figure 7.3 – Heritage Viewpoints and ZTV
• Figure 7.4 – Intervisibility Network
• Figure 7.5 – Viewpoint H1 Longcroft Fort
• Figure 7.6 – Viewpoint H2 Addinston, Fort
• Figure 7.7 – Viewpoint H3, Glenburnie, Fort
• Figure 7.8 – Viewpoint H4, Longcroft Hill, Homestead
• Figure 7.9 – Viewpoint H5 The Howe, Settlement
• Figure 7.10 – Viewpoint H6 Thirlestane Castle
• Figure 7.11 – Viewpoint H7 Dabshead Hill, Fort
• Figure 7.12 – Viewpoint H8 Burncastle, Fort
• Figure 7.13 – Viewpoint H9 Blackchester, Fort
• Figure 7.14 – Viewpoint H11 Tollishill Dod
• Figure 7.15 – Viewpoint H15 Tollis Hill
• Figure 7.16 – Viewpoint H18 Lauder Water
• Figure 7.17 – Viewpoint H19 Hillhouse Group
• Figure 9.1 – Special Protection Areas and Ramsar Sites within 20km
• Figure 9.2 – Survey Areas
• Figure 9.3 – Breeding Greylag Goose Locations, 2022 and 2023
• Figure 9.4 – Breeding Golden Plover Locations 2022 and 2023
• Figure 9.5 – Breeding Lapwing Locations 2022 and 2023
• Figure 9.6 – Breeding Curlew Locations 2022 and 2023
• Figure 9.7 – Pink Footed Geese Flight Lines
• Figure 9.8 – Greylag Goose Flight Lines
• Figure 9.9 – Red Kite Flight Lines
• Figure 9.10 – Peregrine Flight Lines
• Figure 9.11 – Other Key Species Flight Lines
• Figure 9.12 – Curlew Flight Lines
• Figure 9.13 – Lapwing Flight Lines
• Figure 9.14 – Golden Plover Flight Lines 
• Figure 9.15 – Herring Gull Flight Lines
• Figure 10.1 – Study Area
• Figure 10.2 – Hydrological Features
• Figure 10.3 – Superficial Geology
• Figure 10.4 – Bedrock Geology
• Figure 10.5 – Peat Depth
• Figure 10.6 – Peat Classifications
• Figure 10.7 – Hydrogeology
• Figure 10.8 – Watercourse Crossings
• Figure 10.9 – Groundwater Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems
• Figure 10.10 – Private Water Supplies
• Figure 11.1 – Study Area
• Figure 11.2 – Traffic Count Locations
• Figure 11.3 – Personal Injury Accident Locations
• Figure 11.4 – AIL Vehicle Delivery Route
• Figure 12.1 – Predicted Sound Footprint
• Figure 13.1 – Socioeconomic, Land Use, Recreation and Tourism Study Area
• Figure 13.2 – Existing Paths
• Figure 14.1 – Aviation Lighting Scheme
• Figure 14.2 – Shadow Flicker Assessment

Volume 2b - Figures (LVIA only):
Contains the wirelines and photomontages, produced to NatureScot specifications, which help to give an impression of what how the proposal may look from a number of agreed viewpoints within the area.

• Figure 6.1 - Site Location & Context
• Figure 6.2 - Landscape Policy Context
• Figure 6.3 - Landscape Character
• Figure 6.4 - Topography
• Figure 6.5 - Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) Study – Bareground (45km)
• Figure 6.6 - Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) Study – Including Woodlands and Settlements (45km)
• Figure 6.7 - Landscape Character & ZTV Study (Including Woodlands and Settlements) Combined
• Figure 6.8 - Cumulative Developments within 35km
• Figure 6.9 - Cumulative ZTV Operational and Consented Wind Farms
• Figure 6.10 - Cumulative ZTV Wind Farms in Planning
• Figure 6.11 - Landscape Character And Existing Light Pollution
• Figure 6.12 - Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) Study – 2000 Candela Nacelle Light Visibility
• Figure 6.13 - VP1 Lylestone Hill, Core Path 16
• Figure 6.14 - VP2 Station Road, Oxton
• Figure 6.15 - VP3 A68 North of Lauder
• Figure 6.16 - VP4 Lammer Law
• Figure 6.17 - VP5 A68 South of Dun Law Wind Farm
• Figure 6.18 - VP6 Southern Upland Way, Twin Law Cairns
• Figure 6.19 - VP7 Thirlestane Castle GDL, Southern Upland Way
• Figure 6.20 - VP8 B368 North-East Soutra Aisle
• Figure 6.21 - VP9 Minor Road to Longformacus
• Figure 6.22 - VP10 A6105 East of Gordon
• Figure 6.23 - VP11 Al North-East of Haddington
• Figure 6.24 - VP12 Minor Road South of Gorebridge
• Figure 6.25 - VP13 87007 & NCNI near Broad Law
• Figure 6.26 - VP14 Eildon Hills
• Figure 6.27 - VP15 North Berwick Law
• Figure 6.28 - VP16 A6112/86470 Junction East of Swinton
• Figure 6.29 - VP17 Arthur's Seat
• Figure 6.30 - VP18 Allermuir Hills, Pentland Hills Re ional Park
• Figure 6.31 - VP19 Southern Upland Way, Edgarhope Wood
• Figure 6.32 - VP20 Corepaths west of Oxton
• Figure 6.33 - VP21 Redstone Rig
• Figure 6.34 - VP22 Lauder Common
• Figure 6.35 - VP23 A68 near The Roan
• Figure 6.36 - VP24 Southern Upland Way, Chester Hill
• Figure 6.37 - VP25 B6456 near A697 Junction
• Figure 6.38 - VP26 B6456 near Camp Moor
• Figure 6.39 - VP27 Fa'Side Hill Viewpoint
• Figure 6.40 - VP28 B6369 north of Gifford
• Figure 6.41 - VP29 Elie Harbour
• Figure 6.42 - VP30 A198 at Dirleton

Volume 3 - Technical Appendices:
Contains the data supporting the findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

• Technical Appendix 3.1 – Outline Construction Environmental Management Plan
• Technical Appendix 3.2 – Outline Borrow Pit Management Plan
• Technical Appendix 3.3 – Outline Pollution Prevention Plan
• Technical Appendix 3.4 – Outline Access Management Plan
• Technical Appendix 6.1 – LVIA Glossary and Methodology
• Technical Appendix 6.2 – Key Viewpoints extracted from Midlothian Council and East Lothian Council landscape capacity studies for wind turbine development
• Technical Appendix 6.3 – Residential Visual Amenity Assessment
• Technical Appendix 6.4 – LVIA Viewpoint Assessment
• Technical Appendix 7.1 – Site Gazetteer
• Technical Appendix 7.2 – Cultural Heritage Screening
• Technical Appendix 8.1 – Desktop Study
• Technical Appendix 8.2 – NVC Habitat Survey Report (part 1)
• Technical Appendix 8.2 – NVC Habitat Survey Report (part 2)
• Technical Appendix 8.2 – NVC Habitat Survey Report (part 3)
• Technical Appendix 8.2 – NVC Habitat Survey Report (part 4)
• Technical Appendix 8.2 – NVC Habitat Survey Report (part 5)
• Technical Appendix 8.2 – NVC Habitat Survey Report (part 6)
• Technical Appendix 8.3 – Protected Mammal Survey
• Technical Appendix 8.4 – Bat Report
• Technical Appendix 8.5 – Fisheries Electrofishing Survey
• Technical Appendix 8.6 – Outline Biodiversity Enhancement and Restoration Plan
• Technical Appendix 8.7 – Shadow HRA Report
• Technical Appendix 9.3 – Wintering Bird Report 2021-22
• Technical Appendix 9.4 – Wintering Bird Report 2022-23
• Technical Appendix 9.5 – Collision Risk Modelling Calculations Report
• Technical Appendix 9.6 – Breeding Bird Protection Plan
• Technical Appendix 9.7 – Shadow HRA Report
• Technical Appendix 10.1 – Private Water Supply Risk Assessment
• Technical Appendix 10.2 – Peat Slide Risk Assessment
• Technical Appendix 10.3 – Watercourses Assessment
• Technical Appendix 11.1 – Transport Assessment
• Technical Appendix 12.1 – Assessment of Energy Storage Facility
• Technical Appendix 12.2 – Issues Scoped Out of Wind Farm Noise Assessment
• Technical Appendix 12.3 – Calculating Standardised Wind Speed
• Technical Appendix 12.4 – Background Noise Survey Photos
• Technical Appendix 12.5 – Instrumentation Records
• Technical Appendix 12.6 – Charts
• Technical Appendix 12.7 – Suggested Noise Planning Condition
• Technical Appendix 14.1 – Reduced Lighting Scheme
• Technical Appendix 14.2 – Carbon Balance Assessment

Volume 4 - Non Technical Summary - Summarises the application and contains the key findings from the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) work.