Campaigning for the countryside  - its landscape, rural communities, agriculture, and wildlife

Windfarm Campaign Status

 

Wadlow Farm (South Cambridgeshire)

 

The application for thirteen 120-metre high turbines at Wadlow Farm at West Wratting (near Cambridge)

was refused by South Cambridgeshire District Council and went to appeal (June 2009).  The Secretary of State granted approval in September 2009.  He concluded that: “…to the extent that any conflict may arise with particular development plan policies, these are outweighed by the importance of achieving the national policy objectives relating to climate change and energy supply.”

 

Linton (South Cambridgeshire)

 

Enertrag UK applied to build seven 125-metre high turbines (plus one in neighbouring Uttlesford District) on a site between Linton and Great Chesterford. We had objected on landscape grounds. After refusal by the district councils, the appellant appealed. The inquiry commenced in February 2009 and after an adjournment concluded in September 2010. Reporting in October 2010 the Inspector dismissed the appeal, mainly on the effect aviation at Stansted and Luton. Costs were awarded to South Cambridgeshire and Uttlesford district councils as the applicant should not have appealed because it could not prove the exceptional need and clear reasons for departure from published policy (PPS22) in respect of aviation issues.

 

Cotton Farm, Graveley (Huntingdonshire)

 

RWE npower’s application, to which we had objected, for eight 127-metre high turbines was refused by the District Council in November 2009.  Following a three week inquiry in May 2010 and delays while subsequent government policies were considered, the Inspector in December 2010 announced approval.  CPRE is watching carefully the progress of the four proposals for wind farms at Molesworth, Grafham Water, Woolley  Hill (near Huntingdon) and one near Kimbolton.

 

Windfarms Policy

 

 

CPRE looks favourably on the use of renewables to supply energy.  We recognise that some sites are better suited to windfarm use than others, and think that each windfarm planning application should be looked at on its own merits.  Some of the criteria we use to assess them are:

 

• the impact on the character of landscape
• the setting of listed buildings, archaeological features, and conservation areas
• biodiversity
• noise

 

It is helpful that some district councils (Huntingdonshire and Fenland) have produced Supplementary Planning Documents on windfarms.  

 

In general we have not opposed applications in Fenland, though the number coming forward there and in the neighbouring Peterborough area are such that there is a concern about the cumulative effect.

 

CPRE national office’s statement on Renewable Energy can be found here.