Controversial wind farm to bring 100 jobs to Borders

Planning consent has been granted for a major new wind farm in the Scottish Borders.

Aikengall IIa will be located in the Lammermuir Hills, and will consist of 19 turbines.

The development by Community Wind Power Ltd will bring 100 jobs to the area, and is expected to generate up to £9.4 million in community benefit.

The company says this money will be divided equally between local communities.

It'll produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of almost 35,000 homes.

Planning consent was granted today by Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work.

Local councils had raised concerns about the development.

Scottish Borders Council's planning committee voted to object to the scheme against the recommendation of planning officers, because they said it would "unacceptably harm" the landscape.

East Lothian Council also opposed the scheme, claiming it was "unquestionably the wrong development in the wrong place".