Broadview

< Back to all project news 26 Aug 2009 - Seamer Secretary of State declines request to 'call in' the planning applications

Broadview Energy today welcomed the decision by the Secretary of State that he will not “call in” the planning applications for a proposed five turbine wind farm on land between Seamer and Hilton, which straddles the boundaries of Stockton-on-Tees and Hambleton Councils.

The decision had been prompted by a request from local Labour MP, Dari Taylor, to the Government Office for the North East for the Secretary of State to determine the applications instead of the two local councils.

The Secretary of State declined the request after careful consideration of all relevant matters raised by the applications including all representations received and compliance with national planning policies particularly those relating to Renewable Energy, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development in Rural Areas, Biodiversity & Geological Conservation, the Historic Environment, Noise and Flood Risk.

The Secretary of State's decision follows Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s approval (at the beginning of July) of Broadview’s application for the part of the wind farm that falls within its boundaries. Hambleton District Council, the neighbouring planning authority, had delayed its decision on the other part of the scheme that falls within its administrative area, until the Secretary of State’s review was completed. Hambleton's decision is now expected shortly.

Jeffrey Corrigan, managing director of Broadview Energy Ltd, said: “I am very pleased with today’s news.  Our planning application has been subject to a rigorous vetting process by local council planning officers and other statutory consultees to ensure that it complies with planning policy.

“We are pleased that the Secretary of State has supported the local democratic process and we await Hambleton’s decision in due course. The proposed wind farm, if built, will produce clean electricity for several thousand households.”


For media enquiries, please contact:
Lisa Ross at Broadview Energy Limited (lross@broadviewenergy.com / 020 8487 9150)


Notes to editors:

Information on the Seamer Wind farm project can be found at www.broadviewenergy.com or www.seamerwindfarm.co.uk.
Broadview Energy Limited develops wind energy projects in the United Kingdom that will generate clean, sustainable energy. Broadview takes projects from site identification, through the planning process, to construction and ultimately operation. The company focuses on small projects, typically between two and ten turbines. It currently has a number of projects under various stages of development throughout the United Kingdom.
The Government has a target of 15% of all the electricity produced in this country should be from renewable sources by 2015; currently the figure sits at approximately 5%.

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