The Peak District National Park Authority and Derbyshire Dales District Council are considering mounting a High Court challenge to the Planning Inspector’s decision to grant permission for the commercial wind farm at Carsington Pastures.
If you have any thoughts on this issue you need to contact the Peak Park Authority by Thursday or Derbyshire Dales District Council before 26th of this month. Alternatively you can give vent as a comment below.
Updated Wednesday 5th Nov
Thank you to Gareth Butterfield of the Ashbourne News Telegraph for letting us know that Derbyshire Dales District Council and the Peak Park Authority had already lodged a joint appeal with the High Court on 28th October against the Planning Inspector’s decision to allow the planning appeal for a commercial wind farm on Carsington Pastures.
Gareth said “It was a really funny conversation when we rang them about it on Monday. They sounded incredibly sheepish and didn’t want to give anything away.”
And then the Peak Park issued the following press release on Tuesday saying the Authority is currently considering an appeal. Gareth added “They don’t know we’ve seen the court application. I’d love to be a fly on the wall at Aldern House tomorrow (Wednesday) morning! ”
PR 542 – 04 November 2008
Authority to decide on wind-farm appeal
The Peak District National Park Authority will decide on Friday (Nov 7) whether to appeal against plans for a wind-farm near the national park boundary. Officers are asking senior Members of the Authority to agree a joint challengein the High Court, together with Derbyshire Dales District Council, against the proposal for Carsington Pastures.
West Coast Energy Ltd was given the go-ahead for four 102-metre (335ft) wind-turbines by a planning inspector in September, following an eight-day public inquiry in July. Derbyshire Dales District Council’s original rejection was supported by the Authority because of its major impact on the landscape.
The site is very close to the protected landscape of the national park, and adjoins the beauty spot of Carsington Water, between Matlock and Ashbourne. A comprehensive report on the issue will be presented to Derbyshire Dales District Council on November 27.
In September the National Park Authority objected to another proposal just outside its boundary – for five 125-metre (410ft) turbines at Sheephouse Heights in Barnsley Metropolitan Borough. There are already 16 other turbines in the vicinity.
The Authority emphasised it supported renewable energy schemes in principle, but these wind-farms were too big, prominent and numerous to be acceptable in an unspoiled landscape bordering a national park.
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY PR 543
07 November 2008
Joint appeal on Carsington wind-farm proposal Senior Members of the Peak District National Park Authority today (Fri Nov 7) gave the go-ahead for a High Court challenge to plans for a wind-farm near the national park boundary.
Working together with Derbyshire Dales District Council, the National Park Authority is to make a joint appeal against a scheme for four 102-metre (335ft) wind-turbines at Carsington Pastures, between Matlock and Ashbourne. Carsington Wind Energy Ltd’s proposal was approved by a planning inspector in September following an eight-day public inquiry in July.
Although just outside the national park, the site is very close to its protected landscape, and adjoins the beauty-spot of Carsington Water.
Derbyshire Dales District Council’s original rejection was supported by the Peak District National Park Authority because of its major impact on the landscape. National Park Authority planning committee chair Hilda Gaddum explained:
“The giant scale of these turbines would have a visual impact well within the national park.
“Our statutory responsibility, and that of all national park authorities, is to protect the natural, unspoiled beauty of the landscape for generations to come.
“The crux of our case is that the applicants should have been required to consider alternative schemes or sites that would not have such an adverse impact on a protected landscape.
“This is an important case, not just for us, but for future applications near the boundaries of other national parks.”
Derbyshire Dales District Council Leader, Lewis Rose commented:
“Whilst the District Council has never questioned the desirability or need to promote renewable energy sources, there is a clear need to undertake a balanced assessment of such proposals. In the absence of considering alternative sites, such a balanced judgement cannot be reached.”
In his decision report, planning inspector Robin Brooks said:
“I have concluded that the proposal would not unacceptably diminish the enjoyment of the countryside for the great majority of visitors to the Peak District National Park and Derbyshire in general, or of local residents.”
In September the Authority objected to another proposal just outside its boundary – for five 125-metre (410ft) turbines at Sheephouse Heights in Barnsley Metropolitan Borough. There are already 16 other turbines in the vicinity.
The Authority emphasised it supported renewable energy schemes in principle, but these wind-farms were too prominent to be acceptable close to the protected landscape of a national park, and other alternatives should be explored.
Just as well the Peak Park Board agreed to go ahead with this joint appeal, given it was lodged in the High Court some ten days before they met.
Now it just remains for the Derbyshire Dales DC to decide on the 27th November (some four weeks after the fact) if they want to lodge the appeal.