ALL forestry work at a woodland creation scheme in the Scottish Borders has been halted with immediate effect. 

The drastic move by Scottish Forestry comes after "new evidence" emerged ahead of a legal challenge over the 700-hectare Stobo Hope plantation. 

Officials say they have been made aware that "blanket herbicide spraying" was carried out at the site - near the John Buchan Way - prior to the woodland-creation application being submitted to the government agency, which subsequently approved the proposal. 

There was a requirement for the forestry agents to inform SF of this work before the woodland project’s screening assessment took place, but this did not happen. The details were only revealed during a judicial review at the Edinburgh Court of Session, which was secured by the Stobo Residents Action Group (SRAG). 

Now, the project will undergo a new screening decision to determine whether a Forestry Environmental Impact Assessment is required. 

Brendan Callaghan, director of operational delivery at Scottish Forestry, said:   “As with all woodland creation applications that are submitted to us, we need to have all the relevant information available in order to make informed decisions. 

 
“Unfortunately with the Stobo application, a material piece of information was not disclosed by the applicant as we started the screening process, where we review the likely environmental effects of the project. 
 
“In this case we should have been notified of large-scale overall herbicide spraying prior to the application being submitted, so that we could take it into account when we were assessing the project, but in this case we were not informed. 
 
“Consequently, Scottish Forestry has taken enforcement action to stop the developer’s work at Stobo so that the woodland creation application and the new information can be reassessed. 

 

The plantation is due to be made up of predominantly Sitka spruce The plantation is due to be made up of predominantly Sitka spruce (Image: Supplied)
 
“We would like to thank the Stobo Residents Action Group for bringing this new information to light, during the court proceedings. We hope that in moving forward we can work constructively with all stakeholders including the local community, forestry agents and developers.” 

The project has been heavily criticised by campaigners, who hit out at multi-million grant funding provided by Scottish Forestry. The plantation - due to be made up of a mix of coniferous and broadleaved species - is being overseen by Pryor and Rickett Silviculture on behalf of True North Forestry Carbon Sequestration Fund.

Harry Humble, CEO of True North, said: “We are dismayed that we have been asked to stop work.

"Over the course of three years, we have gone through an extensive, diligent and responsible design and consultation process. 

“We have worked extremely hard to design an environmentally and ecologically sound mixed forest, from a third of the site being retained as open space and 130 hectares planted with native trees to 140 hectares planned specifically to favour black grouse.”

No timeframe has been given on the review process. 

Ian Barrington, managing director at Pryor and Rickett Silviculture, said: “As Scottish Forestry has indicated it will revisit the Screening Opinion Decision for Stobo, we will continue to support them in that process and further comment is reserved until that has reached a conclusion.”