The Petition of the residents of Woolavington and others,
Declares that they are concerned about plans by EDF Energy Renewables to develop a new wind farm at Withy Farm near Puriton; about the implications for local residents of noise from the turbines; the intrusive nature of the wind turbines and any possible additional power lines associated with them on the unique landscape of the Somerset Levels; and the potential damage to wildlife and their habitats.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to take all possible steps to take the impact on local communities and the landscape fully into account when considering plans submitted for the siting of wind farms and the provision of energy generation through renewable sources.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger, Official Report, 26 July 2010; Vol. 514, c. 836.]
[P000850]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government:
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is aware that EDF Energy Renewables carried out a public consultation over the summer on proposals for a wind farm on agricultural land to the north of the village of Puriton in Somerset. He understands that EDF’s publicly stated intention is to submit a planning application this autumn, but that no application has yet been submitted to the local planning authority.
The Government’s policy is not to interfere with the jurisdiction of a local planning authority unless it is necessary to do so. This is because local authority councillors are elected to represent the views of local people and, in the main, it is these councillors who are in the best position to decide whether a development should go ahead. Local planning authorities are required to determine planning applications in accordance with the statutory development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. They will have regard to all material considerations including the planning concerns raised by local people and national policy. The considerations set out in national policy include the potential impacts of proposed development on both local communities and the surrounding landscape.
The Secretary of State might decide to call-in an application for his own determination if he considers that it raises matters of more than local importance, but his policy is to be very selective about this. Applicants also have the right of appeal to the Secretary of State if an application is refused, or granted subject to conditions, or if it has not been determined within the specified period. As it is possible that this proposal may, at some future date, come within his jurisdiction, it would be inappropriate to comment on the issues raised in the petition.