New curbs can block 'health risk' wind farms
Government grants new powers for critics to stop the building of turbines.
- Critics of huge wind farms have been handed power to block developments
- Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has promised to strip her department of its power to force through large wind-farm projects against local opposition
- Move comes amid new health warnings for those living close to turbines
By Glen Owen and Brendan Carlin for The Mail on Sunday
Critics of huge wind farms received a boost last night after the Government gave them new powers to block the developments.
The move, by Energy Secretary Amber Rudd, comes amid new health warnings for those living close to turbines.
Ms Rudd has promised to strip her department of its power to force through large wind-farm projects against local opposition.
She is also expected to crack down on Government subsidies for the onshore farms.
Under current rules, the Energy Secretary can have the final say on giant wind farms of 50 megawatts and over.
But Ms Rudd will today pledge to lay down that power. It means farms will in future be treated in the same way as a planning application for a home extension – a matter to be decided purely by the local council.
The action was backed by anti-wind-farm campaigner Tory MP Chris Heaton-Harris, who has presented Ministers with a report warning that sleep deprivation, migraines and hearing problems could be just some of the effects of living within a mile of a wind farm.