Generating light on landscape impacts - Campaign to Protect Rural ...
Generating light on landscape impacts - Campaign to Protect Rural ... Generating light on landscape impacts - Campaign to Protect Rural ...
Return to contents17Case study 6: decommissioningIn 1991 a local planning authority in North Yorkshire grantedplanning permission to build four wind turbines at Chelker.Today only one wind turbine remains operational, but the localplanning authority, which is keen to see the broken turbinesremoved, is facing legal barriers to achieving this. The local watercompany, which runs the turbines, is currently seeking planningpermission to replace the existing turbines with two new turbineswhich will be taller, and are likely to have an unacceptable impacton the southern part of the Yorkshire Wolds National Park, theNidderdale AONB and the Grade I listed Bolton Abbey.29. Issues surrounding decommissioning are a particular concernbecause Planning Inspectors are now using the lifetime of onshorewind proposals as a justification for granting permissions. A PlanningInspector approved an application at Weston Longville in Norfolk, forexample, because he determined that the 25 year permission madethe structure temporary, at least in landscape terms (Annex 1). This isnot a satisfactory approach. Onshore wind developers should adoptlegally binding financial safeguards, such as bonds which are secureduntil the site or individual turbines reach the end of their life, to ensurethat onshore wind turbines will be dismantled once they stop workingor reach the end of their useful life and the landscape restored to itsformer state, even if the company subsequently ceases to exist.When a wind turbine comesto the end of its useful lifeit should be removed fromthe landscapeRecommendation: The Government should require theonshore wind industry to take legal and financial responsibilityfor decommissioning onshore wind turbines and restoring thelandscape once they stop working or when they reach the endof their useful life.
Return to contentsConclusion1830. CPRE believes that the Government must set a clear frameworkwhich helps local communities reconcile the potentially conflictingenvironmental ‘goods’ of landscape protection and climate changemitigation. If this is done, unacceptable damage both to the landscapeand to public support for the country’s renewable energy targets canbe avoided. With an open and transparent dialogue which effectivelyinvolves local communities we can choose the right mix of renewableenergy technologies that can help tackle climate change and protectour precious landscapes. To enable local communities and theplanning system to protect the environment from damagingdevelopment and climate change, we call on the Government to:• provide more clarity about the total number of onshorewind turbines it expects to see built and where these mightbe located;•develop a strategic plan-led approach which recogniseslandscape capacity, including cumulative impacts ofonshore wind turbines;• ensure local planning authorities seek to protect landscapecharacter through their local plans and in planning decisions;•instruct the Planning Inspectorate to give significant weightwhen making decisions on development proposals to anylocal plans which have attempted to identify appropriateand inappropriate areas for onshore wind development; and• require the onshore wind industry to take legal and financialresponsibility for decommissioning onshore wind turbinesand restoring the landscape once they stop working or whenthey reach the end of their useful life.
- Page 3 and 4: Return to contentsForeword2The Engl
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Return <strong>to</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tentsC<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>1830. CPRE believes that the Government must set a clear frameworkwhich helps local communities rec<strong>on</strong>cile the potentially c<strong>on</strong>flictingenvir<strong>on</strong>mental ‘goods’ of <strong>landscape</strong> protecti<strong>on</strong> and climate changemitigati<strong>on</strong>. If this is d<strong>on</strong>e, unacceptable damage both <strong>to</strong> the <strong>landscape</strong>and <strong>to</strong> public support for the country’s renewable energy targets canbe avoided. With an open and transparent dialogue which effectivelyinvolves local communities we can choose the right mix of renewableenergy technologies that can help tackle climate change and protec<strong>to</strong>ur precious <strong>landscape</strong>s. To enable local communities and theplanning system <strong>to</strong> protect the envir<strong>on</strong>ment from damagingdevelopment and climate change, we call <strong>on</strong> the Government <strong>to</strong>:• provide more clarity about the <strong>to</strong>tal number of <strong>on</strong>shorewind turbines it expects <strong>to</strong> see built and where these mightbe located;•develop a strategic plan-led approach which recognises<strong>landscape</strong> capacity, including cumulative <strong>impacts</strong> of<strong>on</strong>shore wind turbines;• ensure local planning authorities seek <strong>to</strong> protect <strong>landscape</strong>character through their local plans and in planning decisi<strong>on</strong>s;•instruct the Planning Inspec<strong>to</strong>rate <strong>to</strong> give significant weightwhen making decisi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> development proposals <strong>to</strong> anylocal plans which have attempted <strong>to</strong> identify appropriateand inappropriate areas for <strong>on</strong>shore wind development; and• require the <strong>on</strong>shore wind industry <strong>to</strong> take legal and financialresp<strong>on</strong>sibility for decommissi<strong>on</strong>ing <strong>on</strong>shore wind turbinesand res<strong>to</strong>ring the <strong>landscape</strong> <strong>on</strong>ce they s<strong>to</strong>p working or whenthey reach the end of their useful life.<str<strong>on</strong>g>Generating</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>light</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>landscape</strong> <strong>impacts</strong>: How <strong>to</strong> accommodate <strong>on</strong>shore wind while protecting the countryside
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