How many turbine make a windfarm? - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

I have asked this very same question myself as I am dealing with a planning application for two turbines...and have yet to find an answer. However, under in the Table under Schedule 2 of the EIA Regs (2008/2093) in the section 3 'Energy Industry' part (i)(ii) wind farms is used as the description and states that if there are more than 2 turbines then it may be an EIA planning application. Thus it could be interpretted either way, two turbines constitues a wind farm, or three turbines constitues a wind farm! Without sight of any legal ruling I would suggest any development involving 2 or more turbines is a wind farm...

Just wondering, what difference does it makes whether a scheme is a wind farm or not?

Just trying to make sure we don't fall through any of the loopholes in the planning fee regs. For instance should we define a wind farm purely by the number of turbines, or by the intention of the use. If two large turbines on a dairy farm producing profit for the farmer in terms of energy generation and if so does that mean his business has changed? Do would you then treat a householder with two turbines and also supplying back to the grid as a change of use...... Its one of those many questions that seem like common sense until you apply planning regs!

Taking advantage of this discussion to ask a somewhat related question: Does anyone have a view on how many turbines you get to the hectare when you have an application for an array of them? I appreciate that it will vary with the site conditions, but a ballpark figure for both under and over 20m hub height turbines would be helpful to know. Many thanks

From a planning fees point of view, I think the definition of a wind farm makes any difference. I was tasked with looking into the calculation of fees for wind turbines and wind farms earlier in the year. I produced the following document which may be helpful: http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/GetAsset.aspx?id=fAA2ADcAMAAwAHwAfABUAHIAdQBlAHwAfAAwAHwA0 There are no loopholes in the fee regulations, but Circular 04/2008 introduces doubt where it should be providing clarity! The fee should be based on the site area covered by the red-edge of the application site - not a calculation of the proportion of the red-edge covered by blade span or anything else the developer says.