|
This page is maintained by Persona Associates
Last Modified: 15 March 2006 |
Whinash Windfarm Inquiry - News2 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. Copy now available - click here to view. To see the relevant papers, click appropriate link below: A copy of the Secretary of State for Trade & Industry's Decision Letter may be viewed here. A copy of the Inspector's Report may be viewed here. The press notice issued by the Department of Trade and Industry may be seen on the Government News Network at: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=189520&NewsAreaID=2 Alternatively, a copy can be downloaded be viewed and downloaded here. This Decision Letter may also be seen on the DEFRA website at: 9 February 2006: Latest News The Inspector's Report and associated documents are now with the DTI. 20 and 21 June 2005: Accompanied Site Visits The Inspector was accompanied on visits to Fell Head and area on Monday afternoon (20 June) and to the proposed Whinash site and area, including Bretherdale Common, Roundthwaite Common, Jeffrey's Mount, Whinfell Common and Borrowdale, on Tuesday (21 June). One further accompanied visit to Harrop Pike, Grey Crag and the Gargill areas to be arranged. The Inspector was accompanied by representatives from Chalmerston Wind Power Limited, the Lake District and Yorkshire National Park Authorities, Friends of the Lake District, the No Whinash Windfarm Committee and the Countryside Agency. 17 June 2005: Inquiry Closed The Inquiry was formally closed by the Inspector on Friday 17 June 2005 at about 3.40pm. Further accompanied and unaccompanied site visits by the Inspector will now take place (some were carried out during the period of the Inquiry sitting). 2 June 2005: Updated Programme for final two weeks issued The programme for Wednesday 8 June has been slightly amended as NATS (National Air Traffic Services) will not now be appearing. Click here for Weeks 6 and 7. The Inquiry re-opens on Tuesday 7 June 2005 at 10.00am. 31 May 2005: Programme for final two weeks issued The programme for what is expected to be the last two weeks of the Inquiry has been issued - click here for Inquiry Programme page. The Inquiry re-opens on Tuesday 7 June 2005 at 10.00am. (The Inquiry is not sitting between 31 May and 3 June.) 18 May 2005: Evening session held Click here to see programme as it occurred. 5 May 2005: Updated programme issued An updated programme for the remaining weeks has been issued - click here for Inquiry Programme page. The Inquiry re-opens on Tuesday 10 May at 10.00am. 3 May 2005: Inquiry adjourned for one week The Inquiry is not sitting between 3 and 6 May. Inquiry re-opens on Tuesday 10 May. 26 April 2005: Evening Session Announced Roger Claxton, the Programme Officer, on behalf of the Inspector, Mr David Rose BA (Hons), MRTPI, issued an Inquiry Notice announcing an evening session that will take in accordance with the provisions of the Commons Act 1876 on Wednesday 18 May 2005. The evening session will start at 7.00pm at the Shap Wells Hotel, Shap, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 3QU. Click here to view a copy of the Notice. 19 April 2005: Inquiry opened On Tuesday 19 April 2005, the Inspector officially opened the Inquiry 10.00am. 12 April 2005: Inquiry - updates Further updates to programmes have been published. Click here to view. Telephone and fax numbers issued. Click here to view 7 April 2005: Inquiry Document List published Latest issue of the Inquiry Documents published on website. This is very much a "live" document in the same way as the Inquiry Programme. Updates will be published regularly. 31 March 2005: Inquiry Programme - update The latest programmes have been published. Click here to view. 8 March 2005: Initial Draft Inquiry Programme Rule 6 parties have been consulted about the initial draft Inquiry Programme. 1 March 2005: Core Documents on deposit Copies of the CORE DOCUMENTS are now on deposit and available for viewing at the Lake District National Park Authority Offices, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, Cumbria. An additional list of windfarm Appeal Decisions, which the applicant is likely to refer to in evidence, has been published. This list (Inquiry Document SOC/1/2) and the original list (SOC/1/1) may be viewed from the Statements of Case page - click here. 9 February 2005: Decision on Adjournment Application announced Inquiry Start Date remains 19 April 2005 An application was made by the Local Authorities Consortium at the Second Pre-Inquiry Meeting on 31 January 2005 for the start of the Inquiry to be adjourned (possible periods ranging between 4 to 16 weeks) to consider Supplemental Environmental Information. A copy of the Inspector's report on the application for adjournment to the Secretaries of State and the decision letter from the Department of Trade & Industry may be viewed here (Inquiry Documents X/5 and X/6 respectively). They are also included as Appendices to the Second Pre-Inquiry Meeting Notes (see below) 9 February 2005: Second Pre-Inquiry Meeting Notes issued Notes of the Second Pre-Inquiry Meeting held on 29 November may be viewed from the Pre-Inquiry Meeting page. 31 January 2005: Second Pre-Inquiry Meeting held Second Pre-Inquiry Meeting held at the Shap Wells Hotel. 27 January 2005: Countryside Agency Countryside Agency to appear at Inquiry. Statement of Case issued. Click here for list. 25 January 2005: Core Document List First draft of the list of Core Documents published on website. [View latest edition here] 24 January 2005: Buying the Environmental Statement Copies of the ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT are available to be purchased from West Coast Energy Ltd at £120 for a paper copy or £20 for a CD version. See Inquiry Documents for further details. [A copy of the Non-Technical Summary may be viewed here.] 17 January 2005: Second Pre-Inquiry Meeting confirmed for 31st January 2004 at Shap Wells Hotel - Agenda issued Agenda issued for the second Pre-Inquiry Meeting to be held on Monday 31 January 2005 at the Shap Wells Hotel, Shap, Nr Penrith, CA10 3QU. 14 January 2005: Statements of Case received The Statements of Case received may be viewed here 15 December 2004: Pre-Inquiry Meeting Notes issued Notes of the Pre-Inquiry Meeting held on 29 November may be viewed from the Pre-Inquiry Meeting page. 29 November 2004: Pre-Inquiry Meeting held Pre-Inquiry Meeting held at Kendal Town Hall. 12 and 15 November: Pre-Inquiry Meeting Agenda issued The Inspector's Agenda for the Pre-Inquiry Meeting was issued under cover of letters from Roger Claxton introducing himself as the Programme Officer for the Inquiry. 27 October 2004: Inquiry Notice and Statement of Matters issued The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, with the agreement of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, announces concurrent public inquiries into the Whinash Windfarm applications. At the same time, notice is given of a Pre-Inquiry Meeting to be held on Monday 29 November 2004. **** View Notice of Inquiry **** The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry also gives notice of the Statement of Matters which appear to her to be likely to be relevant to her consideration of the proposed development.
|