| Client | Peel Energy |
|---|---|
| Turley office | Manchester |
| Status | Determined |
| LPA | Rossendale Borough Council |
Extending an existing wind farm of national significance
Our role
- An operational wind farm of 26 turbines on moorland in the South Pennines.
- Turley was commissioned to lead planning and strategic communications work in connection with a planning application to extend the wind farm by the construction of 16 additional turbines.
- Our Planning team prepared the overarching planning strategy and subsequently co-ordinated the preparation of the planning application and Environmental Impact Assessment. We also led negotiations with Rochdale and Rossendale Borough Councils and were instrumental in securing the support of both authorities for the proposals.
- Our Strategic Communications team prepared and delivered a comprehensive consultation strategy in support of the planning application. Methods of engagement included exhibitions, briefings, events and newsletters, supported by a project website and Twitter feed, in order to communicate the proposals and the proposed community benefits to a wide audience.
- In order to demonstrate support for the scheme locally, a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event was held to brief the business community on the potential local opportunities and job creation arising from the project.
Results
- The proposed extension was originally conceived on a much larger scale and originally comprised a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). Our Planning, Strategic Communications and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) teams were instrumental in leading the project up to the point of consultation on Preliminary Environmental Information, before the decision was taken by Peel to reduce the scale of the project and pursue an application for planning permission.
- The application was supported by both Rochdale and Rossendale Borough Council.
- Due to a fundamental change in national planning policy relating to onshore wind energy following submission, the applications were recovered for determination by the Secretary of State.
- The Secretary of State issued a split decision refusing permission for those turbines located within Rossendale and approving those within Rochdale.