MP: Why should we pay for turbines fight?

Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies has told Parliament that it is unfair that Powys tax payers should foot the bill to fight plans for wind turbines being erected in their countryside.

Mr Davies raised the issue of the costs Powys County Council are incurring at public inquiries in Parliament.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Davies asked Edward Davey MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he would be taking to enable local communities to defend opposition to onshore wind farms within their local areas. 

He asked: “Powys council is a small, rural, hard-pressed local planning authority that is currently having to divert £2.8 million from public services to defend refusals of wind farm applications at public inquiry. The local community is also raising £150,000 for the same purpose while developers have access to unlimited funds demanded from consumers. Will my right hon. Friend tell us how this can possibly be fair?”

Mr Davey replied: “I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s question. One reason why we have made the call for evidence on how local communities can benefit is to ensure that developers come forward and engage with local communities far better and in a less adversarial way than we have seen in some cases.”

Later in the same session, Mr Davies challenged the Leader of the House, Andrew Lansley MP by saying:

“This is a David versus Goliath position. We need to have an urgent debate on the way in which appeals are funded. That would give us an opportunity to demonstrate that the Government are not entirely on the side of Goliath.”