Wind Farms - can I find out what is planned for my purchase area?

Maz1963

Local searches on the property I am buying have shown "Planned Multiple Wind Turbines".  There is no further detail and (surprise, surprise!) I have to pay more for more information.  The house is on the edge of a village, close to farmland, so my concern is a few of those huge turbines appearing near the house some day (if that's even allowed).  Has anyone discovered a way of searching for this info on line yourself? 

FinallyStoppedLurking

Wouldn't this be listed on your local councils website showing approved planning? I'm sure a keyword search would find the relevant planning rather quickly. 

AdrianC

It's also likely to be well covered in the local press. Google should pick everything up easily.

Ashworks

Check your Local Plan for details of allocation sites, and the lists of approved and pending applications on your District Council website.

withaspritz

Maz1963 said:

Local searches on the property I am buying have shown "Planned Multiple Wind Turbines".  There is no further detail and (surprise, surprise!) I have to pay more for more information.  The house is on the edge of a village, close to farmland, so my concern is a few of those huge turbines appearing near the house some day (if that's even allowed).  Has anyone discovered a way of searching for this info on line yourself? 

I had exactly the same thing re a new build estate purchase in rural Cheshire
I found out the nearest planned wind turbine is nearly 10km away
I just paid for the extra search - worth it for the peace of mind.

Maz1963

Thanks for the comments. So I asked my solicitor to order the extra energy search and I'm still none the wiser. The original report tells me there are multiple turbines planned, but the second, more detailed, report doesn't show them! I guess they could be further away, but I would really like to know. I have asked my solicitor to go back and find out where these planned turbines are that were referred to in the original search. I've tried the local council's website but it's not easy to navigate and I can't find anything there.  I guess I could contact them, but I kind of feel that's not my job in this process!!

davidmcn

How close would they have to be for them to actually cause you concern? It's hardly likely one's going to spring up over your garden fence. They do tend to be (for obvious reasons) in exposed, hilltop/moorland types of location.

Davesnave

davidmcn said:

How close would they have to be for them to actually cause you concern? It's hardly likely one's going to spring up over your garden fence. They do tend to be (for obvious reasons) in exposed, hilltop/moorland types of location.

Not always. Here in Devon we have them on the edge of villages at, say, around 500- 600', which isn't high when many settlements are at or above that level. They're usually single ones connected with farming rather than 'wind farms,' though if one is close to a house it can still be annoying.

FinallyStoppedLurking

Maz1963 said:

Thanks for the comments. So I asked my solicitor to order the extra energy search and I'm still none the wiser. The original report tells me there are multiple turbines planned, but the second, more detailed, report doesn't show them! I guess they could be further away, but I would really like to know. I have asked my solicitor to go back and find out where these planned turbines are that were referred to in the original search. I've tried the local council's website but it's not easy to navigate and I can't find anything there.  I guess I could contact them, but I kind of feel that's not my job in this process!!

What's your local authority?

Maz1963

I did go back to the Council's website and managed to do a more detailed search today, and nothing comes up. In the meantime, the solicitor has reported back that neither search provider can comment on the other's findings! She has ordered another more detailed search, at no cost to me.  I think having seen that nothing comes up on the LA website, I'm safe, but best to be sure, and at the very least understand what the first report referred to.

TheProfessional

If you find the company involved could you ask them directly?