February 19, 2021
England

‘I will keep fighting’: Wind farm high court winner to continue battle

Vanguard high court winner to continue Vattenfall fight | Eleanor Pringle | Eastern Daily Press | February 19, 2021 | www.edp24.co.uk

The man who won the high court battle over one of the world’s biggest planned wind farms has said he will continue his fight.

Raymond Pearce has halted the progress of Swedish energy giant Vattenfall’s Norfolk Vanguard wind farm after bringing before the court evidence that the planning processes currently in place were not adequate.

Although consent has been removed, Vattenfall has confirmed it will continue to push forward with current plans as it was the planning process – and not the actual plan – which was ruled against.

Mr Pearce said: “The planning procedures have not been able to keep up with the pace of the industry. Some of the legislation still in place dates back to the 80s – and we didn’t even have wind farms then. I hope that this case will prove that planning procedures need to be reworked and continually updated in the future.”

Mr Pearce began his battle with the 1.8GW wind farm as the plans include an onshore instead of offshore grid, with its network of 40 miles worth of cabling running through land metres from his home in Reepham.

He said: “I will continue to fight this until whatever end – even if it takes years. I am giving the people of Norfolk and the environment we live in a voice. I was an RAF pilot, I’ve been trained in perseverance and this is a David and Goliath battle I am determined to see through – even if it takes years, I will keep fighting.

“I am entirely behind the green energy revolution – what I am trying to do is protect our environment from miles of cabling running through across county when there is evidence to suggest it could be done offshore.”

Vattenfall has said that an offshore grid would be impossible for its Vanguard project as the technology is in too early a stage of conception for a project which has been in the works for ten years.

Mr Pearce said: “It may take a few years for this project to go offshore but we need to do our due diligence for the environment in the long term.

“I would love to sit down with Vattenfall as well as stakeholders to try to come to a conclusion on this that works for everyone.”