Hundreds more wind farms than those already planned will have to be built to meet "flawed" Government targets for renewable energy, it was claimed last night. ...Professor Ian Fells, an energy expert and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said the Government's plans were "hugely expensive" and "wildly optimistic."

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning UK

To meet our peak demand of 56 gigawatts of electricity would require 112,000 turbines covering 11,000 square miles, or an eighth of Britain's entire land area, says Christopher Booker. ...Most alarming of all, however, in the desperation to reach EU "renewables" target, is the setting up of a new Infrastructure Planning Commission to force through thousands of these absurd objects over the wishes of local people and councils, who are now to be robbed of any right of appeal.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning UK

Selby District Council this week agreed to form a stringent wind farm framework in a bid to stop the area skyline being "decimated with turbines". Members of the authority's policy and resources committee voted on Tuesday night to spend £30,000 to employ experts to assess all wind farm applications. ..."We've currently got eight or nine applications coming in, and I don't think we want to have our whole skyline decimated with turbines."

Impact on Landscape Zoning/Planning UK

Controversial plans to build four 102m wind turbines at Carsington Pastures have been given the go-ahead. A High Court Judge has today determined that proposals for the wind farm should proceed. Pundits said the ruling could be a landmark case for the future of wind farms across Britain.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning UK

In an interview for Go Green, John Lloyd Jones, of the Countryside Council for Wales, said: "The biggest problem we have in assessing wind farm applications is that the wind farm application and the grid connection application are two separate processes, and sometimes the grid connection can be more visually intrusive than the wind farm itself. "If you're asking what I would do to improve the planning process I would roll the wind farm and the grid connection into one application process."

Zoning/Planning UK

Thousands of homes in east Rugby and surrounding villages will get mailshots this week outlining plans for an eight-turbine wind farm near the M1 motorway. Your Energy Ltd is in the final stages of public consultation before its controversial wind farm blueprint goes before a council planning committee next month.

Zoning/Planning UK

Yesterday, Barrow Borough Council's planning committee was presented with a draft scoping opinion about the project. ...Barrow's mayor and a member of the planning committee, Councillor Dorothy Dawes, said: "That's just another hideous thing on the landscape. "They produce very little electricity and they don't produce anything when they're not working."

Zoning/Planning UK

Plans to build three 125m-tall wind turbines near two villages have been given the go-ahead. Broadview Energy has been given permission by Stockton Borough Council planning committee to build the wind farm on land between Seamer and Hilton, between Stokesley and Yarm. ...A total of 200 representations of support and 410 letters of objection had been submitted to Stockton Borough Council.

Zoning/Planning UK

Plans for a wind farm in a picturesque North Dorset setting were sensationally thrown out on July 2. Despite a recommendation to approve the six 120m-high turbines at Silton, near Gillingham, district councillors unanimously voted to refuse the application.

Zoning/Planning UK

High Court battle has been launched in a bid to prevent four wind turbines being built in the Derbyshire countryside. Plans for the turbine generators and a substation at Carsington Pastures - next to Carsington Water - were initially turned down. Applicant West Coast Energy then lodged an appeal and at a subsequent public inquiry a Government inspector ruled the effects on the nearby national park and two conservation areas were outweighed by the benefits of creating renewable energy.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning UK

Plans that could lead to 62 wind turbines on seven sites within a six-mile radius could be investigated by the Government, if a local MP gets his way. Phil Wilson is calling for the intervention because he believes the plans represent excessive development in his Sedgefield constituency. He has written to Peter Mandelson, secretary of state for business innovation and science, asking that the Government call in the schemes.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning UK

The decision on the Logiealmond Wind Farm will not now be determined by Scottish Government Ministers in conjunction with the Calliacher Wind Farm application - but will be decided by delegated authority. The news, received by Perth and Kinross Council, has been greeted with dismay by Councillor Barbara Vaughan, the Conservative representative for the Strathtay Ward.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning UK

Faulty wind turbines in a Northumberland beauty spot could be taken down after they stopped working. The three giant structures at Kirkheaton, North of Hexham, were put up almost 10 years ago by EDF Energy. But technical issues have meant that two of the turbines have had to have their blades removed, and haven't been operational since last autumn.

Safety Zoning/Planning UK

Demonstrations will show the strength of feeling against the growth in the number and size of windfarms coming to Mid Wales and the massive turbines that will be brought through the centre of the town on their way to sites. Planning the demonstrations began on Wednesday night when the town council's planning and development committee opened its meeting to the public.

Zoning/Planning UK

A retired GP has sparked a row in his picturesque Northumberland village by planning a £40,000 wind turbine in his back garden. Dr Steven Ford wants to erect the turbine - which would measure 17.8 metres from base to blade tip - in a field behind his home in Heugh House Lane, Haydon Bridge, a row of 20 properties in the countryside overlooking the Northumberland village.

Impact on People Zoning/Planning UK

The Scottish Government has said it will not rush a verdict on a wind farm inquiry held 16 months ago. The 48-turbine Fallago Rig proposal in the Borders was the subject of a public hearing in February 2008. Roxburgh and Berwickshire MSP John Lamont has criticised the timescale and transparency of the process.

Zoning/Planning UK

It was revealed last week that a Scottish Government planning reporter had dismissed an appeal lodged over the planned wind farm scheme at Montreathmont, near Friockheim. The decision follows an appeal held earlier this year after the company behind the scheme appealled Angus Council's failure to determine the planning application within prescribed time limits.

Zoning/Planning UK

A far north businessman is considering appealing against the knock-back of his plans to build a five-turbine wind farm. Reay garage owner Charlie Sutherland's scheme this week became the fourth in west Caithness to fall foul of the Highland Council. Once again, the perceived impact on nearby residents was central to the rejection of planning consent.

Zoning/Planning UK

An Assembly planning inspector has upheld an appeal by wind farm campaigners in a ruling likely to reverberate among local authorities. Richard Poppleton gave approval for two 100-metre wind turbines at Mynydd y Gwrhyd, north of Pontardawe, citing legislation that commits the UK to scaling up renewable energy schemes.

Zoning/Planning UK

Andrew Joicey, who is involved with all three groups, said: "The planning system is supposed to protect communities against development proposals where benefits are shown to be outweighed by other adverse effects. "Make no mistake however, if even one of these wind farms is approved and built, people will be truly shocked when they see the result. The problem is, it is very hard for many people to visualise the scale of either the individual, or the cumulative impact."

Zoning/Planning UK