Stirches Renewable Energy Park is a proposed renewable energy development comprising ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (a solar farm) arrays and a battery energy storage system (BESS) on land northeast of Hawick Substation.
Indicative system diagram for co-located projects
The Proposal
The proposed solar farm will have a generating capacity of 30MW. This is equivalent to meeting the annual electricity needs of approximately 8,600 average UK households[1]. The BESS will store and release electricity from the electricity distribution network and will have an export capacity of 30MW.
The BESS will support the electricity network and help store excess energy generated by renewable sources.
[1] No. of homes powered = Annual kWh generated (taking into solar load factor of 10.8%) ÷ average UK domestic electricity consumption per household.
Additional elements of the proposal include:
• On site sub-station
• Underground cabling
• Supporting infrastructure such as inverters, transformers, and access tracks
• Security measures including fencing and CCTV
• Tree planting and ecological enhancements
The proposal includes measures to mitigate impacts of the project and enhance the natural environment. These efforts will help minimise any negative effects on existing habitats and biodiversity, while also introducing improvements to foster the growth of nature on the site.
The application for Stirches Energy Park will be submitted to the Energy Consents Unit at the Scottish Government.
Site Location
The site is located on agricultural land south and east of Stirches Mains, TD9 7NR, north-west of Hawick in the Scottish Borders Council administrative area. The site is centred on BNG 350383 617215.
Community Engagement
In line with recommendations for ‘major’ planning applications set out in The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013, and with attention to the Planning Advice Note (PAN) 3/2010: Community Engagement (Scottish Government 2010), two public consultations were held for Stirches Renewable Energy Park.
The first was held on 07 November 2024, Hawick Town Hall, 15:00 – 19:00.
The second was held on 03 April 2025, Hawick Town Hall, 15:00 – 19:00.