UPDATE 14/01/2011

An appeal against the recent decision by Allerdale District to reject the JPA Brayton application has now been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

With 80% of wind energy project appeals being successful we are naturally very hopeful that the project can proceed.

Citing effects on tourism, the application for a mid-size wind turbine was recently rejected by the Allerdale Planning Committee in Cumbria. This despite a recommendation to pass by the planning officer responsible.

Naturally we are disappointed the councillors chose to ignore the advice of the planning officer and give in to the handful of local objectors, however the application will now go to appeal – where 80 to 90% of wind turbine applications are successful.

On purely technical grounds the application is sound and we are confident the Government Inspectorate will concur.

Ironically, on the very subject of tourism, at a recent public enquiry in Cumbria a Government Inspector concluded:

“Concerns have been expressed about the possible impact of the turbines on tourism; but, despite the construction of wind farms in various parts of the country, there is no cogent evidence to show a resulting reduction in visitor numbers.  Indeed, Cornwall and Cumbria have the largest concentration of wind farms of any of the counties in England, yet, in both cases, the numbers of visitors attracted have increased since the turbines were erected …… It should also be noted that some respondents to the survey undertaken for the Cumbria Tourist Board considered that the wind farm would be an additional attraction.”