A recent ballot by Cranshaws, Ellemford and Longformacus Community Council revealed that 70 per cent of local residents who responded want no further wind farm developments in the Lammermuirs, and news that Scottish Borders Council's planning officers are recommending that the council put forward no objections to a 30 turbine extension to the Wester Dod/Aikengall wind farm has been greeted with dismay.

The gist of the planning officers' report to the planning committee is that the wind farms already erected or consented have changed the landscape in the Lammermuirs and the need for renewable energy outweighs the preservation of the visual aspect of the region.

"The locality is already characterised by wind farms and turbines, and the increase in impact would be, on balance, within tolerable levels," reads the report to councillors.

The community council has also been doing battle over the proposed 48 turbine wind farm planned for Fallago Rig and succeeded in persuading the Scottish Government to re-open the public inquiry into that planning application to hear all new evidence that has arisen since the inquiry was heard two years ago.

Now they are determined to fight the council's planning officers and try and persuade councillors to object to the Wester Dod extension, and so force another public inquiry.

The height (145m) of the proposed turbines at Wester Dod would make them the largest onshore turbines in Scotland, double the scale of the first turbines at Soutra.

Planning consent is needed from the Scottish Government rather than the local councils (the turbines are in both Scottish Borders Council and East Lothian areas) but the councils' views are sought and if they oppose the application then a public inquiry would be required.

Postponement of SBC's planning committee on Monday this week has given campaigners more time to put together their case and the chairman of the planning committee has agreed to the community council's request for a site visit before the committee make a decision. A 28 day extension to the consultation period has also been agreed by the Scottish Government.

East Lothian Council discussed the Wester Dod application on Tuesday, January 12, and decided not to oppose the application, mainly because it was an extension of an existing wind farm which meant access roads and infrastructure was already in place and there would be less disruption.

One councillor wanted a site visit and another sympathised with residents of Oldhamstocks who fear it will be an intrusion, but the overall view was that the decision had been taken that renewable energy was needed and the application would help meet that need.

Scottish Natural Heritage describe the Wester Dod application as "the wrong proposal on the wrong site", and despite recommending no objections to the plans SBC planners admit that: "The potential of this development to impact on the landscape of the Lammermuir Hills is of the greatest significance."

However the report goes on to say: "There is an acceptance that previous development at Aikengall I and Crystal Rig has already changed the local landscape significantly.

"Cumulative visual impact would occur if the development applied for is now implemented and the ability of the landscape to accommodate this impact would be tested.

"However, balancing the additional visual impact of this development against the requirement to give positive consideration to renewable energy development would lead to a conclusion that the development would accord with both national and local policy in this area.

"The erection of 30 wind turbines and associated equipment would cause an acceptable level of impact on the landscape character of the surrounding area."

Chairman of Cranshaws, Ellemford and Longformacus Community Council, David Lochhead said: "The report reads like the dereliction of duty that it is. It effectively abdicates responsibility for planning at local level and simply defers to central government dictat.

"There is simply no consistency to the council's position. The adjacent windfarm at Aikengall was objected to, as was Fallago Rig, yet the council seem to have abandoned any effort to protect this Area of Great Landscape Value on the premis that the area is already spoiled, so a bit more damage is neither here nor there!

"On this basis there will be no stopping the tidal wave of planning applications already in the system for the Lammermuir Hills, over 400 turbines at the last count. The council will be responsible for the ruination of one of the finest landscapes and environmental assets in the Scottish Borders.

"The Cranshaws, Ellemford and Longformacus Community cannot understand why such a great environmental loss to both people and wildlife should be suffered to provide insignificant savings in green house gas emissions."

Members of the community council say that there has already been a devastating impact on the local wildlife where the wind turbines are operating at Crystal Rig and Aitkengall.

"The area of 20 sq kms has been virtually sterilised by turbine development," added Mr Lochhead.

"The Wester Dod development will add a further 9sq kms of devastation in an area that is known habitat to a number of highly protected bird species

"The RSPB has recently revealed research that shows that protected species - including black grouse, buzzards, golden plover and curlews - which are all found at Wester Dod - suffer breeding decline with poorly sited wind farms."