2ND MARCH 2006
DECISION ANNOUNCED

The Secretary of State for Trade & Industry has accepted the Inspector’s findings on the section 36 application.

He has agreed with the Inspector’s conclusions that the Whinash site is an important and integral part of a far reaching landscape which is highly sensitive to change and that the adverse environmental impacts of the Development would conflict with the aims of Planning Policy Statement 22 which is, in part, to minimise the impacts of wind generation and to achieve environmental safeguards. He has also agreed with the Inspector’s conclusion that the environmental harm to this particular landscape outweighs the benefits of securing renewable energy at the Whinash site.

The Secretary of State has therefore accepted the Inspector’s recommendation that consent be refused. The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be issuing her decision on the section 194 application separately.