Wind Power News: U.K.
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Knockendurrick windfarm near Twynholm recommended for refusal by Dumfries and Galloway Council
A controversial windfarm development looks set to be rejected next week. More than 1,500 people have objected to Banks Renewables’ proposals for seven turbines at Knockendurrick, near Twynholm. And council officials are recommending the plans are rejected because they “would have significant adverse impacts on the landscape character, scenic interest and visual amenity of the site and wider area”. Banks first went public with their idea at the end of 2011 and originally planned 10 turbines on the site. However, . . . Complete story »
Revised plans for wind turbine near Pen-y-Fan Country Park set to be decided
Controversial plans to build a wind turbine near the Pen-y-Fan Country Park in Caerphilly are set to go before the council’s planning committee. The application seeks permission to erect a turbine with a maximum height of 93 metres, hub height of 60 metres and rotor diameter of 66m on the industrial unit operated by Durisol UK on Pen-y-fan industrial estate near Crumlin. But the application from the Leeds-based firm Sirius Renewable Energy has caused controversy, with concerns raised over its . . . Complete story »
Appeal lodged in bid to resurrect windfarm proposals
Controversial plans to build a new windfarm in East Renfrewshire could be revived by Scottish ministers. Moorhouse Windfarm Ltd had an application for six turbines in Newton Mearns, between Shieldhill Farm and Moor Road, rejected after aviation chiefs claimed they could lose track of planes over the site. East Renfrewshire Council knocked back the plans when the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) claimed a windfarm could interfere with their radars in Glasgow and Cumbernauld. But the company has made an . . . Complete story »
Plastic from Rampion wind farm washes up on beach
The Rampion wind farm has announced it will carry out a full beach clean after plastic castings have washed ashore on Lancing beach The refuse, noticed by beachgoers on Monday morning, has been confirmed by the wind farm’s owners as having originated from the offshore development. The refuse is largely made up of long thin black plastic coiled strips, as well as some larger objects. A Rampion spokeswoman said: “We’re aware that plastic remnants have been found on Lancing Beach . . . Complete story »
Hopes for public inquiry into Norfolk wind turbines dashed – but council will challenge the decision
Hopes of campaigners for a new public inquiry into controversial plans for two wind turbines in north Norfolk have been dashed by a new High Court ruling. However, North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) looks set to challenge the decision. In March last year, after a six day public inquiry a planning inspector gave consent for the turbines, which would be about a mile apart at Bodham and Selbrigg. This was despite fierce opposition from NNDC and the No To That . . . Complete story »
Crofters step up their David v Goliath windfarm battle with £5million at stake
They are four remote streets with a handful of houses among them standing amid the harsh windswept environment of the islands. But the crofting communities on Lewis are poised for a share of a multi million pound windfall as they bid for Government contracts to supply the National Grid from their own wind turbines. The communities in Sandwick with Aignish and Melbost plan to take control of 21 turbines from EDF and provide annual income 100 times more than what . . . Complete story »
Viking Energy wins land court case
The Scottish Land Court has granted Viking Energy permission to build a 103-turbine wind farm on crofting land in the north mainland of Shetland. The decision was made public on Tuesday afternoon following a four-day long hearing of the land court in Lerwick in early July. Opponents to the development said the decision by the land court was “not entirely unexpected but disappointing nevertheless” while the developer welcomed the judgement and added it would comment more fully once a written . . . Complete story »
Critically endangered Scottish wildcats’ habitat to become wind farm
Conservation groups have criticised the Scottish government over a plan to turn a publicly-owned forest, which is a habitat for critically endangered Scottish wildcats, into a wind farm. Concerns were first raised when independent conservation group Wildcat Haven found 13 critically endangered Scottish wildcats living in the publicly-owned Clashindarroch Forest, Aberdeenshire. The forest had already been placed on a list of priority areas for wildcat conservation, but has now been designated for a wide-ranging logging project and the construction of . . . Complete story »
Peel applies for Environmental Impact Assessment for windfarm
The company hoping to build a 12-turbine windfarm between Lerwick and Scalloway has now reached the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) stage. Peel Wind Farms (No1) Ltd has submitted an environmental statement for the Mossy Hill Wind Farm scheme, which would have an overall generating capacity of 50MW. As revealed by The Shetland Times a month ago, the proposal was reduced from its original 21 turbines. The EIA was co-ordinated by energy consultants TNEI Services, which assessed: construction and operational noise; . . . Complete story »
Remote islands are far from ideal for large-scale wind development
I note your article regarding remote island wind (“Renewable energy boom driven by £557m auctions”, The Herald, July 24). Sustainable Shetland would like to respond to this article, and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (DBEIS) press releases that prompted it, from the Shetland perspective. Scotland is set to enjoy a new renewable energy boom, according to your article, and islands like those in Shetland are ideal locations for the development of wind power “because of their natural . . . Complete story »
