Power firms’ lawyer says half wind farm applications rejected

Almost half the applications to build onshore wind farms in England and Wales are being turned down, it is claimed.

According to data obtained by commercial law firm McGrigors, the percentage of onshore wind installations being refused planning permission is up from less than a third (29 per cent) in 2005, to 33 per cent in 2009 and 48 per cent in 2010.

The Freedom of Information figures showed 32 applications out of a total 66 for onshore wind farms were turned down in the last year, said the law firm, whose clients include energy companies.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The number of applications put in was the lowest since 2005.

The firm said town halls were only looking after local interests and warned it could derail ambitious Government aims for renewables to meet a third of electricity demand by 2020 – the lion’s share of which will come from wind power.

With local people seldom looking sympathetically on wind turbines near their properties, the new focus on the localism agenda will make it even harder to get the go-ahead for new wind farms, said McGrigors partner Jacqueline Harris.

She added: “We are dealing with an increasing number of complaints and appeals from wind-farm developers who are concerned that attitudes towards wind energy are hardening, particularly at a local level where they feel they do not get a balanced hearing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“There is little willingness to consider the benefits of renewable energy generation in context – the national interest is being overridden by local concerns.”

Much of the Government’s focus on wind power, which is expected to deliver a fifth of the UK’s electricity by 2020, has been on offshore wind farms, which are seen as less controversial.

But the wind industry recently agreed a protocol which would see communities paid a minimum of £1,000 a year per megawatt of wind power installed as part of efforts to make onshore wind more palatable. The average onshore wind turbine is around 2.3 megawatts.

The money paid for the turbines by firms installing and running wind farms could go to community trusts to pay for local good causes or cut bills.

Related topics: