Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning appeals related to wind energy projects were recovered for a decision by the Secretary of State in each of the last five years.

A recovery entails a planning appeal decision being made directly by Planning Ministers, rather than planning inspectors on behalf of the Secretary of State.

Four appeals were recovered in 2010, five in 2011, 19 in 2012, 23 in 2013 and 11 in 2014.

As outlined in previous Written Ministerial Statements, the recovery criteria was intentionally changed to consider recovering more appeals, following changes made to planning guidance to strengthen the protection of landscape and heritage assets.