Adams Hendry assisted Selby District Council with the determination of a number of major wind farm applications in 2011 that had been submitted concurrently: an application for 14 no. 125m high wind turbines at Wood Lane, Birkin; 7 no. 125m high wind turbines at Bishopwood, north of Thorpe Willoughby; and 5 no. 125m high wind turbines at Cleek Hall, south of the village of Cliffe.
In each case, Adams Hendry acted in the role of case officer, reviewing the Environmental Statements, liaising with the applicants and consultees and reviewing the schemes’ compliance with planning policies. We prepared the officer’s report on the Cleek Hall wind farm and presented it to Planning Committee. The Cleek Hall application was granted planning consent on appeal following the Council’s refusal of the application, contrary to officer recommendation.
Wind proposals raise many contentious planning issues and often face considerable opposition. We have a good understanding of the key planning matters and potential barriers to such schemes securing planning consent including potential landscape and visual impacts, harm to residential amenity, potential noise impacts, concerns about protected species (particularly birds) and impacts on aviation. This commission further developed and utilised our experience of renewable energy projects, in combination with our Environmental Impact Assessment expertise.
