Press Release
Consent granted for Knabs Ridge wind farm
7 September 2005
Following a 2 week Public Inquiry in August, the Planning Inspectorate has issued planning permission for npower renewables' 10.4 megawatt wind farm project at Knabs Ridge, near Harrogate.
The wind farm will comprise 8 wind turbines and will supply enough electricity each year to supply the average needs of approximately 7,000 homes. The wind farm will also save the annual emission of about 23,000 tonnes of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, which leading scientists throughout the world have linked to global warming and climate change.
In making the decision, Mr Self (the planning inspector appointed to determine the appeal) gave considerable weight to the need to provide energy from renewable sources, and concluded that there is a "pressing need" for new renewable generation in North Yorkshire.
As part of the decision, the Inspector balanced these environmental benefits against the inevitable visual change brought about by the wind farm. The Knabs Ridge Wind Farm lies outside of, but close to, the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and visual effects on the AONB have been taken into account in the Inspectors decision.
Planning policy does not rule out wind farm development close to, or even within, AONB's; there are two operational wind farms in England within AONB's at Goonhilly in Cornwall and Caton Moor in Lancashire (where planning permission was recently granted for a larger development to replace the existing wind farm).
Leeds Bradford International Airport had made an objection to the scheme, as the wind turbines are likely to appear on the radar screen of operators at the airport, however, Mr Self, in response to the evidence presented to him by the Airport's Air Traffic and Service Manager stated "It is clear to me from his evidence that aircraft safety would not be put at risk by the proposed wind turbines". He added that the effect on the airport operations capacity would be only "slight".
The Knabs Ridge site lies south of the A59 Harrogate-Skipton road, west of Harrogate, and outside of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Mr Ainslie, Head of Consents for npower renewables, said today "This is a substantial step forward in renewable energy provision in North Yorkshire, and will make a valuable contribution towards the fight against global warming. Existing wind farms in the UK enjoy very high levels of local support, and I have no doubt that Knabs Ridge Wind Farm will also become an accepted feature of the local landscape."
npower renewables anticipates that construction of the project will begin sometime during 2006.
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