Mr Kimble, Yorkshire
Mr Kimble was one of the first people to put up a wind turbine in his area. He wanted to be more independent of energy bills and decided to opt for a larger wind turbine which would allow him to sell energy back to the national grid.
Planning permission
I went in to see the planners and asked them for their opinion on how they would view an application for a domestic wind turbine. They weren't particularly positive about the idea but I decided to go ahead anyway. I decided to site the turbine in a five-acre field I own next door to my house and the application was drawn up by an architect I have worked with on many occasions.
I had to get planning permission before I put in an order to buy my turbine, and there was a waiting list, so it would take about 10 to 12 weeks to get one once the order was in. I was also applying for a grant from the Government, so it was all happening at once.
When the eight-week deadline for making a decision was up, the council said they had lost the paperwork. We re-submitted and there were various further delays. Since it was the first wind turbine application for that authority, they decided to put the application in front of the full council for a decision. A planning officer came out to see where we intended to put the turbine. I then spent a lot of time following up on the application to see what progress was being made. Finally, the full planning committee arrived on a bus to look at the site. The next day I was told that the application had been passed.
Building regulations
I didn't need to get building regulations approval for my wind turbine as it was put up by approved installers. But it is worth checking with your local authority before you start to see what needs to be sorted out.
What I would have done differently: I would have put a taller turbine in. Instead of nine metres I'd go for 15 metres because there is more wind up higher.
Top Tips
- “Go onto the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) website to check the average wind speed in your area. An average of four and a half is a good site.”
- “Wind turbine manufacturers will send you information on how to deal with the planners, how to approach them and what details you may need for your application.”
- “Be persistent with the planners.”
Disclaimer: this is an introductory guide and is not a definitive source of legal information. Read the full disclaimer here.
