Tourism
Scottish Borders Tourist Board has said that ‘scenery and landscape’ are the most important reasons for visitors to the Scottish Borders, while a public opinion survey conducted by VisitScotland, in 2002 suggested 26 per cent of tourists would be unlikely to return to an area with wind turbines. 
The anti-wind action group ‘Views of Scotland’ have analysed the Visit Scotland survey in some detail, using Area Tourist Board data from 2001 (the most recent available at the time). Their report, VOS Brief 3 ‘Turbines and Tourism Jobs’ states: ‘Nationally, this would result in the loss of over 6,250 tourism related jobs, 780,000 trips and nearly £140million in lost revenue'. Local businesses reliant on tourism are very concerned about the impact on their livelihoods.
Scottish Borders Structure Plan Policy E22 states: ‘Development proposals which are likely to have a significant and sustained adverse impact on tourism will not be permitted’; while Scottish Borders Structure Plan Policy N11 – The Coast says:‘The Scottish Borders’ coastline extends only to some 40km but it is of exceptional quality in terms of its natural heritage interest. The open, unobstructed character of the coastal landscape types implies a high sensitivity to built development. Policy N12 – Coastline – states ‘Development proposals at a coastal location will only be permitted where the development requires a coastal location.
The A1107 is a designated tourist route. The development will also be visible from the A1 and from the East Coast Main Line – major road and rail tourist routes to Edinburgh.
PMR do not mention Fast Castle Head or Siccar Point in the ES. Both of these sites are within 5km of the development and are important nationally if not internationally (in the case of Siccar Point) and the experience of the visitor to these sites will be compromised by the wind farm development. This should have been included within the ES scoping and clearly discounts the validity of the ES.