Communities secretary bans up to 12-MW wind project in UK

Aug 27, 2014 - The UK government’s communities secretary has turned down Broadview Energy Ltd’s plan to build an up to 12-MW wind park in Somerset, southwestern England, the company said on Wednesday.

The intervention by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government was necessary after the wind farm developer appealed an earlier decision by the Sedgemoor District Council. The Pilrow project was turned down by the council on concerns that it would have unacceptable effects on the landscape. The benefits of the scheme would not be enough to outweigh its impact on the landscape, Eric Pickles has determined.

“We are currently digesting the decision and considering our options for the site,” project manager Tom Cosgrove said in a statement.

Depending on the size of the turbines that were to be used, 2 MW or 3 MW, the overall capacity of the Pilrow wind project was expected to range from 8 MW to 12 MW. The four-turbine wind park would have been able to generate enough electricity to satisfy the annual power needs of over 6,000 households, Broadview mentioned. Also, the company had committed to provide a community fund worth between GBP 500,000 (USD 828,000/EUR 629,000) and GBP 750,000 for the wind park's 25-year lifetime.

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.657/EUR 1.257)

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