Wind Energy Planning

English Councillors this week voted to object to a controversial 19 turbine, 50MW wind farm near Marshland St James, in the Norfolk Fens. Meanwhile over the border in the Highlands of Scotland, local officials approved the 25 turbine, 50MW Camster Wind Farm between Lybster and Watten.

These decisions do not come as a surprise. Approval rates for wind energy projects have been higher in Scotland than in England and Wales for more than a few years.

Prior to the introduction of new English planning guidance in 2004, many industry representatives thought higher approval rates were due to more positive guidance in Scotland. Scotland does have a huge renewable energy target of 50% by 2020 (compared with 20% in England). This is reflective of the Scottish determination to introduce as much renewable energy as possible to meet its electricity requirements. So why do we English not seem to share the same drive and passion for renewables when both our countries have a huge wind energy resource?

Some might say that property prices are often not as high where wind farms are proposed in Scotland and people are not as prone to nimbyism. It seems to me however that there is much more behind this and that many Scottish people seem to have different priorities to the English. The Marshland St James project in Norfolk highlighted the darker side of human nature when it was revealed that landowner families involved in the project (including young children) had been subjected to intensive bullying from anti-wind energy neighbours including serious property vandalism. I am aware of other situations where bullying and threats have been used, usually by nimby incomers to try and intimidate farming families who have lived in the community for generations. I also know of landowners who have refused to host a wind farm on their land due to fear for their children.

Self sufficiency seems very important to the Scots and the need for energy does not seem to be taken for granted. A sense of community is still important. In England it often seems as if we believe that we have a right to energy and that it could never possibly be taken away. A sense of community seems to have been eroded in many places and we are generally more concerned with our personal and superficial needs. We are however going to have to change our perspective because energy sources are becoming scarce and we cannot take them for granted. There is a need to realise that we are going to be affected individually at some point by for example rising gas and electricity prices. We are going to have to step back and look at the bigger picture and accept that our priorities need to be re-arranged. The English cannot rely on the Scots (and the Welsh) to wholly supply our English renewable energy requirements, so officials need to get consenting English projects now.