Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

It has lodged an appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment, in response to Breckland District Council’s refusal to make a decision on the scheme.

Ecotricity submitted a planning application and full environmental impact assessment to Breckland last December outlining plans for a new wind park at Wood Farm.

Despite making no objections to the application, the council has failed to make a decision in 10 months, although the company says it is legally obliged to respond within four months.

The new venture could double Norfolk’s wind power quota and provide clean electricity to over 3,300 local homes – more than 6.5 per cent of Breckland District’s population.

Ecotricity was given planning approval this month to build a second wind turbine at Swaffham and the company’s founder Dale Vince is confident about the plans for Shipdham.

“We’ve been patient and we regret that the council felt unable to make a decision, but we’re hopeful that the appeal will be successful.”

The site is especially suitable for wind development. The landscape has no designation nor is it a conservation area; the site is quite remote and 430m from the nearest residential properties.

The wind resource is good and the development will generate non-polluting electricity for local people’s homes. Ecotricity hopes to be advised of the appeal start date in the next few weeks.