Plans for the Mid Hill Farm wind project in the Scottish Borders have encountered significant opposition from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The MoD has formally objected to the proposal, citing concerns that the development could severely disrupt the United Kingdom’s nuclear test monitoring capabilities and military aviation operations.
The project, initiated by Invenergy, the largest private renewable energy company in the United States, aims to install 13 wind turbines, each reaching heights of up to 200 metres, along with an energy storage facility to the southwest of Hawick. This site is located within the safeguarding zone for the Eskdalemuir seismic monitoring array, which plays a critical role in detecting nuclear tests globally.
In its official objection, the MoD stated that the Mid Hill project would have an “unmanageable impact” on the operations of the Eskdalemuir Seismological recording station. The station is essential for maintaining a global network that relies on minimal interference to function effectively. To protect its integrity, current planning regulations enforce a 10-kilometre exclusion zone and a 50-kilometre safeguarding zone around the seismic monitoring array.
The MoD also raised alarms about the potential negative effects on national defence aviation systems. They highlighted concerns regarding the performance of radar systems crucial for air traffic management and military training, stating that the additional turbines would push cumulative vibration levels beyond acceptable limits.
According to the MoD’s objection, “there is no seismic noise capacity available.” This means that the new turbines could disrupt the station’s role in international monitoring of nuclear activity. The proposed site is situated within a tactical training area where fixed-wing aircraft often operate at very low altitudes. The MoD pointed out that the turbines could create physical obstructions for these low-flying aircraft, which may operate as low as 30.5 metres above ground level.
Additionally, the MoD noted that turbines exceeding 150 metres must comply with specific aviation safety lighting requirements, indicating that accredited MoD lighting specifications would be necessary should the project receive approval.
Local residents have voiced concerns about the saturation of wind energy infrastructure in the Borders region. Sarah St Pierre from the Borthwickwater Landscape Conservation Group expressed her discontent, stating, “This region has been inundated with large-scale wind farm plans. Now we are being asked to sacrifice not only our landscape but a critical part of the international security network that monitors nuclear activity.”
She further emphasized the importance of preserving the area’s unique landscape while highlighting the MoD’s assertion that there is no remaining seismic capacity for additional turbines. “Mid Hill would undermine both nuclear monitoring and defence aviation,” she added. “At some point, we have to say enough is enough – this is not a suitable location and these impacts are not trivial.”
The MoD’s objection is likely to play a pivotal role in the planning process, given the strategic importance of the Eskdalemuir station and the challenges associated with mitigating seismic and aviation interference caused by wind turbines within the safeguarding zone.
