Secretary of State refuses another renewable energy application

The Secretary of State intervened in the determination of the project’s planning application prior to a Public Inquiry that was held in June 2014.  Since June 2013 the Secretary of State has intervened in 56 wind farm applications, and of the 33 that have been decided upon, 30 have been refused.   In addition to refusing the vast majority of applications, the interventions have also added significant delays to an already lengthy planning process.

Broadview’s Managing Director, Jeffrey Corrigan said; “The scale of the interventions, the delays to the planning process and the substantial number of refusals make a very clear statement about the Conservative Party’s policy toward climate change and the cost of energy to consumers. Bicton and many of the other onshore wind projects refused by Eric Pickles could have provided renewable energy to the UK at a competitive price.  If the UK is to meet its renewable energy  and carbon reduction targets, this electricity will have to be provided by more expensive offshore wind or nuclear generation, saddling consumers with significant extra costs.  In this context it is clear this and other interventions are not planning decisions, rather they are energy policy decisions that are contrary to the commitments to have the ‘greenest Government ever’ and to keep the cost of energy to consumers in check”.

Broadview is currently reviewing the decision and considering its options for the site.