Windfarms: nearly 100 turbines approved
An update from Anthony Coon
There is still nothing to be seen on the ground of the nearly 45 windfarms, which have
been proposed in Northumberland in the last ten years. But the results of two more public
inquiries add very significantly to the numbers of wind turbines — which now seem likely
to be built in the near future — and to the loss of treasured landscapes which this will
entail. The two inquiries are as follows (reference numbers relate to the locations in the
accompanying map):
- Ray (7), Steadings (8) and Green Rigg (6). The 60 proposed turbines near Kirkwhelpington would occupy 18 square km and (according to the Society’s evidence at the inquiry) dominate a further 80 square km. The minister is ‘minded to approve’ Ray (the inspector had recommended refusal because of air traffic control problems, but the minister claims that recent technology could overcome this). Steadings was refused for environmental reasons, and Green Rigg was approved.
- Moorsyde (15), Toft Hill (17) and Barmoor (16). These three schemes for a total of 20 turbines are near Berwick. Moorsyde and Toft Hill were refused for environmental reasons; Barmoor was approved.
The overall situation for ‘on-shore’ windfarms in Northumberland at the present time is as follows:
| Number of schemes | Number of turbines | |
| Existing | 2 | 12 |
| Under construction | 0 | 0 |
| Approved | 10 | 99 |
| Awaiting decision | 4 | 28 |
| Pre- application | 22 | 193 |
| Total of above | 38 | 332 |
| Refused | 7 | 45 |
Twenty five of the 99 ‘approved’ turbines are in urban areas: Lynemouth (5), Blyth Harbour 2 (18), Cramlington Merck (11), and Bewick Drift (12).
However, the great majority of the approved windfarms are in rural areas, at prominent (i.e., elevated) locations; the overall height of each turbine is around 400 feet. The 74 ‘approved’ turbines in rural areas are at Wandylaw (14), Middlemoor (9), Kiln Pit Hill (13), Barmoor (16), Ray and Green Rigg. These will have a generating power (and environmental impact) some 100 times greater than the only existing rural wind farm at Kirkheaton (3). All have been approved by central government after refusal - largely on environmental grounds - by local government.
Adverse impacts on the natural environment and on the settings of historic structures have been decisive in rejecting some schemes. At Moorsyde the need to protect ‘unique views of the Cheviots’ (20 km away), and changes to the character of some 50 square km of surrounding land appear to have been decisive. This, however, is the only case where landscape issues have been conclusive (though the Dunion Hill proposal in Scotland – visible from Carter Bar – was rejected largely because ‘it does not represent a good fit to the [small scale of the] landscape’. In contrast, the inspector for Ray / Steadings / Green Rigg 99 felt that the impact of any one or two of these far larger schemes on landscape would be minor - though all three would result in ‘an elongated wind farm landscape … [for which] consent should be refused’. The inspectors for Middlemoor and Wandylaw both accepted that landscape impact was crucial to the decision, but judged that ‘the landscape would flow through’, and ‘would remain evident among the turbines’.
Click on above image for a full size map
(pdf file opens in new window)
No scheme coming to inquiry has directly threatened important historic artifacts, but all schemes have adversely affected the ‘settings’ of buildings or monuments. The Steadings scheme was rejected because of the impact on the settings of St. Aidan’s Church and Great Bavington conservation area, and the Toft Hill scheme because of impact on the setting of the Duddo bronze age stone circle. The Ray developers acknowledged that the impact of their scheme on the hill fort and cairns at Great Wanney Crag would be ‘significant’ but then shrewdly cancelled the four nearest turbines during the inquiry. If the Steadings developers had done something similar they might also have secured permission. Inspectors regretted the adverse impacts on the church and mausoleum (Kiln Pit Hill) and cup-marked stones (Ros Castle) but did not consider them to be decisive. It may also be mentioned that noise (affecting three properties) was a factor in rejecting the Moorsyde scheme.
Much confusion remains about the compatibility of windfarms and aircraft control. Besides Ray (where the inquiry may have to be re-opened), several other approvals are subject to developers satisfying the concerns of the Ministry of Defence or Newcastle Airport about detection or control of aircraft. However, in the case of Ray/Steadings / Green Rigg, MoD objections, which occupied weeks of public inquiry, melted away and the developers are pursuing the MoD for costs.
It will be of interest to see if the MoD continues to obstruct long-standing proposals for windfarms in the Kielder area (to which their objection is similar to their objection to Ray / Steadings / Green Rigg). Concentration of windfarms at Kielder could provide a far more satisfactory solution than ad hoc proliferation over the county.
City and County
August 2010
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