Generating light on landscape impacts - Campaign to Protect Rural ...

Return to contentsMaintaining confidence inthe planning system55. The contribution of all renewables to UK electricity generation was 6.8per cent in 2010. 3 In order to meet our national carbon reduction andrenewable energy targets we need strong energy efficiency and demandreduction policies, as well as a significant increase in renewable energyover the coming decade. As one of the cheapest and most establishedrenewable energy technologies currently, onshore wind plays animportant role in this regard. The UK’s industry-led Renewable EnergyRoadmap 4 sets out a pathway towards achieving this ambition but stopsshort of addressing specifically how many onshore wind turbines will bebuilt and where.Graph 1 – progress of renewable technologies, including wind,through the planning system300Number of applications submitted250200150100500198919901991199219931994199519961997Application submittedApplication approvedApplication refusedYear of application submission19981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011Original source: Department of Energy and Climate Change planning statistics 126. As local communities feel the pressure from the increasing number ofonshore wind applications (see graph 1), there is widespread concernthat many proposals are highly speculative and directed towardsinappropriate locations. Maps 1 and 2 show that onshore wind sitesare increasingly being directed towards more remote, tranquil areas,sometimes adjacent to and inside national planning designations.Developers are also targeting undesignated but locally valuedcountryside in less windy parts of the country. Research suggeststhat wind energy developers often enter the planning process with adismissive mindset towards public concerns, seeking to disparagearguments against new development as baseless and emotional ratherthan well-reasoned and legitimate. 5 CPRE has compiled a large bodyof evidence that suggests a cavalier approach by some wind energydevelopers to the planning system 6 which undermines the integrity ofthe planning process. While this has started to be addressed by theindustry 7 there is a long way to go before it shows due respect to theviews of local communities. The lack of concern shown by developersdrives local opposition and is reflected in the low level of applications,currently only 41% of projects, being consented and the relativelyhigh level of onshore wind applications going to appeal. 83DECC, Digest of United Kingdom EnergyStatistics, TSO, 20114DECC, UK Renewable Energy Roadmap, 20115University of Manchester et al, BeyondNimbyism project summary report, 2009.Accessed from www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/research/beyond_nimbyism/deliverables/reports_Project_summary_Final.pdf6CPRE, Goodwill payments: Do they benefitcommunities or bring planning intodisrepute?, 20087RenewableUK, A Community Commitment:The Benefits of Onshore Wind, 20118RenewableUK, State of the IndustryReport. Onshore and Offshore Wind:A Progress Update, 201112DECC planning database<strong>Generating</strong> <strong>light</strong> on landscape impacts: How to accommodate onshore wind while protecting the countryside