‘Job done’ on wind farms, says John Hayes
The ongoing tensions within the coalition, at its midway point, continue. This is a fraught and “big deal” for many rural places. I often wonder if turbine developments contribute enough economically to the places they operate in, outside the benefits to the landowner. You will have your own views, still this story tells us:
“Energy Minister John Hayes said it was “job done” in terms of the number of onshore wind farms required to hit European Union renewable energy targets. The comments will delight Tory grassroots supporters who have been fighting what they call the blight of onshore wind farms imposed on communities. But they will infuriate the Liberal Democrat Energy secretary Ed Davey who slapped down Mr Hayes after similar comments last month and has deliberately left the door open for more wind farms.
Asked on Channel Four News whether more onshore wind farms were needed, Mr Hayes said: “With respect of what’s built, with what’s consented and with a small proportion of what’s in the planning system, we will have reached our ambition in respect of the renewables’ target – end of story. “The prime minister in the House of Commons said that when we’ve reached our targets then he invited all parties to think about where we went next. I endorse his view entirely. “In respect of the targets that we have for renewables when we take into account, what’s built, what’s consented, what’s in planning system now – it will certainly have achieved, it will be job done.”
The remarks show that Mr Hayes is unrepentant about remarks he made last month when he said that there were currently enough wind turbines in the planning system. Currently, just under 10,000 turbines are planned for the UK.”