High court appeal for Durham project

National Wind Power is to put its case to build a wind farm in County Durham before the High Court in London. The decision came after environment minister John Prescott agreed that NWP's application to install 15 600 kW turbines at High Moor near Barnard Castle should not be allowed. "We are obviously bitterly disappointed," says NWP's Peter Musgrove. The plans had been approved by the County Council, local parish council, and Teesdale district council's planning committee. But they came unstuck when the application went before the planning authority's full council, resulting in a public inquiry. Its negative outcome is supported by Prescott. Musgrove is incensed at the inquiry inspector's dismissal of the project's output -- enough for 1400 homes -- as "insignificant and unreliable." It reveals prejudice and is a dangerous precedent, warns Musgrove. "If it is not legally challenged, then we and others might as well quit developing wind farms in the UK," he says.