Planning permission 'stands in way of wind energy'

Extensive planning permission procedures have caused problems in building large wind farms, it has been suggested.

According to national campaigns co-ordinator at RenewableUK Adam Bell, the fact that only 25 per cent of wind farm applications are accepted has meant the development of wind energy output has been affected.

He said: "The big problem is it can be hard to get planning permission for a decent-sized wind farm with the capacity to power a significant number of homes."

Earlier this month, RWE Innogy announced that construction work in Wales will begin next year on one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world.

The £2 billion Gwynt y Mor wind farm will have 160 wind turbines and work on the site is expected to be finished by 2014.

Mr Bell added that while planning permission for a housing estate or a supermarket takes six to eight weeks, proposals to build a wind farm big enough to provide a significant contribution to green energy can take months to be accepted.

Posted by Joseph Hutton