D-Day looms for wind farm ruling
A High Court Judge will decide this week if giant turbines should be built at Carsington Pastures – in what could be a landmark case for the future of wind farms across Britain.
On Monday the Peak District National Park Authority joined forces with Derbyshire Dales District Council to ask Lord Justice Carnwath, sitting at the High Court in London, to block plans for four 102m turbines.
The application was originally rejected by the district council but was given the go-ahead in September after West Coast Energy took its case to the Planning Inspectorate.
In his decision report, planning inspector Robin Brooks said the project would result in “no unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the national park” and any visual impact was outweighed by the need for renewable energy.
But Anthony Crean QC, representing the park and council, argued this week that the inspector had misconstrued planning law.
He said he had made a fundamental error by deciding it was not necessary to consider whether the need for renewable energy could be met on alternative sites.
Speaking outside court, a spokesman for the national park said: “The authority supports renewable energy schemes in principle but believes that all other alternative locations should be considered first when planning a development of this scale so close to the national park boundary.
“This is an important case because the decision could have implications for future wind farm applications near to other national parks in the UK.”
Jan Southway, of Protect Carsington and Hopton Action Group, who was in court to hear the proceedings, said: “We have always thought it was just the wrong place. We have never been against wind energy it just seems like a completely ridiculous position for an industrial development.”
Rebecca Cole-Morgan, of the action group, added: “We are just keeping our fingers crossed and are hopeful they will make the right decision that this is not the right place.”
The High Court application is being opposed by the developer and John Denham, the Communities Secretary.
Stephen Salt, planning and development director for West Coast Energy, said: “We have invested a significant amount of time and money in this project and having obtained the decision from the inspector we hoped we would be able to go ahead and built this and deliver the benefits.
“We hope the judge will listen to the arguments and we are hopeful of a positive outcome.”
Julia Rodgerson
1 July 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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