Written Question · S6W-13251 · Session 6
How many sites there are for which two or more wind farm applications have been submitted in the last five years.
The question
To ask the Scottish Government how many sites there are for which two or more wind farm applications have been submitted in the last five years.
The answer
Scottish Ministers take decisions on wind farm applications that are made to them under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. There are two sites for which two or more applications, under section 36 or section 36c of the Electricity Act 1989, have been submitted in the last 5 years. Site is defined ordinarily as an area delineated in red on an application site map, within which the wind farm development will take place.
These applications have been made to vary the proposed wind farm developments which had previously been granted section 36 consent in the last 5 years. These applications are made to Scottish Ministers under section 36c of the Electricity Act 1989. If the variation is approved, it is the varied development that will be built and operated i.e. it cannot be constructed and operated in addition to the originally consented wind farm.
In the last 5 years there have also been four applications made to Scottish Ministers under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to extend wind farms, which had previous applications submitted and consented in the last 5 years, by adding additional wind turbines. Some of these applications will use part of a site already consented as the wind farm they are extending.
More detail on these applications can be found by using the search options/fields at Scottish Government
- Energy Consents Unit
Wind farms that generate less than 50 megawatts of electricity do not require section 36 consent from Scottish Ministers but are instead determined by the local planning authority. Detailed information on wind farm applications which have been made to local planning authorities over the last five years is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
The right to appeal certain decisions made by local planning authorities is an important part of the planning system. The vast majority of appeals are decided by an independent reporter from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of the Scottish Government. In the last five years there have been four wind farm appeals on sites for which there had been an earlier appeal on the same site. In two appeals the later appeal related to a smaller scheme and in the other two appeals the later appeal related to appeals against conditions imposed on the earlier decisions.
These applications have been made to vary the proposed wind farm developments which had previously been granted section 36 consent in the last 5 years. These applications are made to Scottish Ministers under section 36c of the Electricity Act 1989. If the variation is approved, it is the varied development that will be built and operated i.e. it cannot be constructed and operated in addition to the originally consented wind farm.
In the last 5 years there have also been four applications made to Scottish Ministers under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to extend wind farms, which had previous applications submitted and consented in the last 5 years, by adding additional wind turbines. Some of these applications will use part of a site already consented as the wind farm they are extending.
More detail on these applications can be found by using the search options/fields at Scottish Government
- Energy Consents Unit
Wind farms that generate less than 50 megawatts of electricity do not require section 36 consent from Scottish Ministers but are instead determined by the local planning authority. Detailed information on wind farm applications which have been made to local planning authorities over the last five years is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
The right to appeal certain decisions made by local planning authorities is an important part of the planning system. The vast majority of appeals are decided by an independent reporter from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of the Scottish Government. In the last five years there have been four wind farm appeals on sites for which there had been an earlier appeal on the same site. In two appeals the later appeal related to a smaller scheme and in the other two appeals the later appeal related to appeals against conditions imposed on the earlier decisions.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S6W-13251 by reference.