A wide-ranging report has been commissioned to help prevent the North-East from becoming covered in wind turbines, it emerged yesterday.
A wide-ranging report has been commissioned to help prevent the North-East from becoming covered in wind turbines, it emerged yesterday.
The study, which will be the first of its kind in the UK, will assess the cumulative impact of wind farms on the region and was announced during a public inquiry into the Regional Spatial Strategy at the Swallow Hotel in Gateshead.
The move comes just three weeks after a North MP said he feared a lack of communication between planning authorities could see the North's beautiful countryside dominated by large clusters of turbines.
Berwick Liberal Democrat MP Alan Beith [correct] said several applications for wind farms between Alnwick and Berwick were being dealt with by different bodies and if they were approved the cumulative impact could be disastrous.
But yesterday the North East Assembly, which produced the Regional Spatial Strategy, …
The study, which will be the first of its kind in the UK, will assess the cumulative impact of wind farms on the region and was announced during a public inquiry into the Regional Spatial Strategy at the Swallow Hotel in Gateshead.
The move comes just three weeks after a North MP said he feared a lack of communication between planning authorities could see the North's beautiful countryside dominated by large clusters of turbines.
Berwick Liberal Democrat MP Alan Beith [correct] said several applications for wind farms between Alnwick and Berwick were being dealt with by different bodies and if they were approved the cumulative impact could be disastrous.
But yesterday the North East Assembly, which produced the Regional Spatial Strategy, announced it had commissioned a region-wide study into the issue and will be consulting the Department of Trade and Industry and Northumberland County Council. It is hoped the report will prevent multiple wind developments being approved simultaneously by different bodies.
The Government currently rules on plans for wind farms which generate more than 50 megawatts, but local councils consider smaller sites.
North East Assembly planning manager Colin Blackburn said: "We have commissioned consultants to assess the cumulative impact of wind developments following concerns from local authorities about the amount of applications being made.
"We hope the study, which will be the first of its kind in the UK, will help give more direction to local authorities where there are multiple applications and prevent concerns about wind farms covering the region from becoming a reality."
The Regional Spatial Strategy has identified broad areas throughout the North-East considered to be more suitable for wind developments.
Yesterday's public inquiry, which was attended by local councils from across the region, as well as campaign groups and bodies such as One NorthEast, was held to discuss selection of locations for wind farms and whether they would have any impact on areas of outstanding beauty.
There have been five applications for farms west of the A1 between Alnwick and Berwick. One, at Middlemoor, near Alnwick, is being considered by the DTI - two at Barmoor, near Lowick, and Moorsyde, south of Berwick - are being handled by Berwick Borough Council, and Alnwick District Council is to decide on those at Wandyside and North Charlton, both near Embleton.
There have also been applications at Blubbery Wood, near Morpeth, Hexham, Kirkwhelpington, Kiln Pit Hill, Edlingham and Chillingham.
Mr Beith last month challenged Energy Minister Malcolm Wickes to look closely at the process of deciding the applications.
He said: "The cumulative impact of wind farms is a very serious issue and I'm glad it is being looked at with this new study."