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Small Wind and planning

Iskra wind turbine

Small wind energy installations require planning permission and local consultation with relevant stakeholders, such as neighbours. Deciding factors include environmental considerations, access to the site, noise and visual effect. Overall, national planning policies support the development of small scale wind energy, as noted below.

Planning Policy Statement 22 (PPS22) sets out a clear national policy framework on renewable energy for planning authorities in England to ensure that the Government's renewable energy targets are met. Under PPS22 regional and Local Planning Authorities should recognise the full range of renewable energy sources, their differing characteristics, locational requirements and the potential for exploiting them subject to appropriate environmental safeguards. Small scale developments can also be permitted within areas such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Heritage Coasts provided that there is no serious environmental detriment to the area concerned. PPS22 introduces a new policy area for small systems by encouraging Local Planning Authorities to require that new developments should supply a percentage of their energy needs from from onsite renewable energy sources.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has specific guidance on location of wind farms in Scotland, which is contained in their policy statement Strategic Locational Guidance for onshore wind farms in respect of the natural heritage to be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Guidelines on renewable energy (NPPG6). Paragraph 7 deals specifically with smaller wind turbines and states that the special rules required for wind farms do not apply to small scale wind turbines: "The guidance only applies to the consideration of onshore wind farms, and it excludes small wind developments of a domestic or small business scale, typically single turbines of under 50kW capacity, which may be accommodated satisfactorily in most landscapes and in relation to which strategic guidance of this sort is unnecessary."

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