NWP's High Moor plans rejected

Refusals for wind farm planning applications in the UK are continuing apace with the rejection of National Wind Power's plans for 30, 500 kW turbines at High Moor in County Durham the latest to join the sorry list. Teesdale District Council narrowly turned down the project at the beginning of October -- mostly on the grounds of its visual impact. "It is a designated area of high landscape value," says David Hand from the council's planning department. He points out that objections to the project were lodged by the Yorkshire Dales National Park, English Heritage -- because of a burial mound on the site -- and the County Council's own structure plan team and archaeologist. Significantly, despite these weighty objections none of the local parish councils were against the wind farm. Nevertheless, the district council accepted by a majority of only two votes the planning officer's recommendation for refusal. "It was very much in the balance and was a very close vote." Hand says National Wind Power has already indicated that it would like further discussions with the planning authority to see if it could make the project more acceptable.