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'NIMBYS' BLAMED FOR LACK OF NORFOLK TURBINES

14 Mar 2011

Doubts have been raised over whether the region can make a significant dent into Britain's renewable energy target after it emerged that just four giant onshore wind schemes have received approval in Norfolk and north Suffolk in the last three years. 
 
Wind energy has been touted as a key part of the country's efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and decarbonise electricity supplies. But renewable energy firms last night blamed red tape, a "broken" planning system, and opposition from vocal 'Nimby' groups for the scant number of masts that have received planning consent in recent years. 
 
And onshore wind farm projects could be forced to jump even more planning hurdles under proposals to give communities more power over local affairs within the coalition government's Localism Bill. 
 
Whilst dozens of small masts, less than 18m high, have been approved, figures obtained by the EDP show that just four large-scale schemes -amounting to 11 additional masts more than 100m high - have been granted in Norfolk and north Suffolk since 2008. In that time another five have been refused and another six are in the planning or legal system. 
 
However, opposition groups said that the majority of wind farm applications posed a significant risk to the countryside and to the quality of life for local residents and offshore wind and other renewable energy sources would help Britain to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. 
 
As reported by the EDP last week, the opposition to onshore projects in Norfolk has caused one locally-based firm, Enertrag, to review its operations after citing a lack of "political support". Managing director Neil Lindsay blamed decision-makers for siding with the anti-turbine "minority" after the company had failed to get a single turbine approved in south Norfolk since it opened an office in Diss more than six years ago. 
 
Mike Cheshire, spokesman for Ecotricity, which operates two turbines at Swaffham and has two long-running schemes in the planning process at Hethel, near Wymondham, and Shipdham, near Dereham, added that Britain was at risk of becoming the "black sheep" of Europe and only Malta and Luxembourg in the EU have less onshore turbines. 
 
He added that Nimbys and BANANAs - "Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone" -have proved a major barrier to most applications and the Localism Bill could make matters more problematic.

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