The Peak District National Park Authority has slammed a 4 wind turbine proposal close to the park boundary at Carsington Pastures in the county of Derbyshire in the UK.
The Park Authority has decided to team up with Derbyshire Dales Council and go to the High Court to challenge plans for a wind farm near its boundary. This decision was taken despite approval for the 4 wind turbines being granted by a Planning Inspector in July. The national park takes up a huge land area in this part of Britain and as a general rule of thumb, decision makers to do not think that wind energy projects are appropriate in national parks. Opportunities for
High court challenges to wind energy projects such as these are resulting in projects taking anything up to 10 years to be consented and built.
What is even more interesting is that only a few years ago the Park Authority were investigating opportunities for wind turbines actually within the park. Perhaps they have had a change of personnel?
Barbara Crossley
November 20th, 2008
The Peak District National Park Authority has supported small-scale individual turbines that are sensitively-sited. Several are up and running now. The problem lies with large-scale wind farms that are intrusive on the specially-protected landscapes of national parks.
National parks are designated for the beauty and unspoiled nature of their landscapes – there are few enough left in the country as it is. There are less-sensitive areas outside national parks where large-scale wind-farms could be sited.
Vicky Portwain
November 23rd, 2008
Unfortunately small-scale individual turbines, although good for individual properties are not in themselves going to be anywhere near enough to start combating the effects of climate change. I am a strong supporter of protecting our landscapes and understand that the designation of national parks is an important part of this.
I would almost go as far to say that I agree that wind turbines should in the main be kept out of national parks – however it has to be understood that this will result in more pressure in those areas outside nationally protected areas. You cannot start creating buffers around protected landscape and using them as a no-go area for commercial scale turbines. Less sensitive areas in landscape terms often have other issues that also need to be weighed in the balance such as aviation issues or proximity to houses.
It seems to me as though the impact of the project on the landscape is not the issue here – rather that the Park Authority plain and simple does not like commercial scale turbines.