Wind farm developer withdraws project due to Pickles' crackdown

The developer behind a controversial wind farm outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park has withdrawn its planning application, citing 'overwhelmingly negative' decisions on onshore wind plans by communities secretary Eric Pickles.
  
The three-turbine Killington wind farm was proposed by Banks Renewables on a site next to junction 37 of the M6.

Planning officers at South Lakeland District Council recommended refusal, but members voted in favour of the project by seven votes to three.

However, in March, Pickles called in the project for his own determination, saying that it might conflict with national policies and lead to "substantial cross-boundary controversy".

The proposed site is three kilometres from the border of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, but would be within 800 metres of the border if a proposed extension to the park were approved.

In a statement, the developer said that it was "reluctantly" withdrawing the application "in the light of the recent policy announcements and overwhelmingly negative decisions by the secretary of state towards onshore wind farm developments in England and to avoid further unnecessary costs resulting from an inquiry."

Phil Dyke, development director at Banks Renewables, said: "We have a strong case to put before the public inquiry, but in the present political climate for onshore wind farm planning applications in England, we know we are unlikely to get a balanced consideration of the merits of the project as a whole, so have decided to withdraw our planning application with immediate effect to save further costs being unnecessarily incurred by the local council.

"The National Planning Policy Framework puts particular emphasis on decision-making being focused at a local level, but seeing a clear mandate from a local council withheld at a national governmental level shows that this principle is not actually being realised in practice."

Communities minister Kris Hopkins said: "Inappropriately sited wind turbines can be a blot on the landscape, harming the local environment and damaging heritage for miles around.

"We make no apologies for changing planning guidance to ensure that these issues are properly taken into account. Every appeal is considered with due process on its individual merits, based on the particular circumstances of the case."