Exclusive:Developers accuse MoD 'stalemate' of blocking £9bn in wind farm developments for Scottish Borders

The largest independent Scottish renewables developer has said progress in the sector is being blocked by “years of intergovernmental discord”, claiming major investment is being put at severe risk.

Muirhall Energy said the south of Scotland, which is home to more than a fifth of the country’s onshore wind capacity, according to a South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) study, is missing out on billions of pounds worth of renewable energy investment.

Renewable energy schemes are good for the drive to net-zero carbon emissions, but also energy security and the economy (Picture: Ashley Cooper/Construction Photography/Avalon) | Getty Images

The company claims this is because of objections to wind farm applications from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The MoD, however, said it can raise objections to plans which may affect national security and defence. The government department said it works with developers to propose acceptable mitigations to balance “our need to safeguard national security and defence with our support to maximising the use of wind energy.”

The area in question is land around the Eskdalemuir National Environmental Laboratory in Dumfries and Galloway.

It is one of three UK facilities measuring seismic activity for national researchers, and managed by the MoD.

Sarah McIntosh, managing director at Muirhall Energy, said recent evidence presented to the MoD showed there was greater scope for development on the area of restriction around the laboratory.

She said: “Uncertainty and inaction over implementing a solution to unblock the development of regionally and nationally critical onshore windfarm projects around the facility are now having significant and detrimental consequences at local, regional and national level.

“Objections by the MoD, which has responsibility for the observatory, mean a pipeline of projects producing cheap, clean, renewable wind energy is stalled.

“If the governments at Holyrood and Westminster are prepared to work together with MoD to overcome this issue, which has a much-discussed, but not-yet acted upon path to resolution, then concerns over our long-term energy security may be resolved and the resulting regional economic boom would improve lives and communities for generations to come.”

Ms McIntosh said the ongoing deadlock meant £9 billion of investment in the regional economy of the broader Border area was “stuck and unable to be delivered”, with “job creation and training opportunities to sustain our own thriving energy sector are being missed”.

Muirhall claims 6GW of clean energy could be achieved, and investment available from community benefit schemes could total £30m per annum for the region - a £1.2bn windfall for the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, over the course of the operational lifetime of those wind farms.

Ms McIntosh said: “Massively ambitious targets on the delivery of renewables set by Holyrood and Westminster are surely achievable only through a cross-border mission to unlock the impasse being experienced around Eskdalemuir.

“Frankly, it’s high time that the years of intergovernmental discord were set aside, a willingness found to work together in the national interest to implement solutions, before we once again miss the opportunity to lead ourselves to a more secure energy network and the financial rewards being offered to our communities remain out of reach.”

A spokesperson for the MoD said: “As is the case around defence sites across the UK, we can raise objections to plans which may affect national security and defence.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Through the Eskdalemuir Working Group, the Scottish Government is working with the UK Department for Energy, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and representatives of the onshore wind industry to resolve issues relating to the management of the MoD noise budget, affecting the development of onshore wind within the Eskdalemuir Consultation Zone. This includes ensuring the safeguarding of the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array.

“It would not be appropriate to comment on live planning applications.”