The future of wind-farms

We are all probably familiar with wind turbines - those massive white propeller blades that appear on the horizon as we drive somewhere.

To some people, they are a beautiful piece of engineering; to others, they are an eyesore. In this way, they divide opinion as to whether we should or shouldn't live without them.

Most people now accept that the planet is under some terrible - and frightening - weather events that are a direct result of climate change. This was previously known as “global warming”, although that gave the wrong impression when severe winters - also a cause of the effects of climate change - hit some countries.

Scalding temperatures are now the norm in the summer months across even the most temperate countries that includes the United Kingdom within its number.

One of the primary causes of climate change comes as a result of burning fossil fuels.

An obvious example is the fuel used for transportation, which is why car companies are investing millions in an electric-battery-driven equivalent. But one of the biggest polluters contributing to the ‘greenhouse gases' affecting the planet's atmosphere is the use of the same fossil fuels to create the energy to power our homes, offices, shops and factories.

Successive governments have tried to find ways of reducing our reliance on these damaging fuels, and this has resulted in the increase in renewable energy sources, including wind farms, solar energy, tidal forces and so on. 

The more energy generated by these neutral forms of creation, the less the reliance on the traditional fossil fuels.

The chief problem with wind-farms is how effective they are.

When they are in full operation, they certainly provide a good source of electricity generation that is fed into the National Grid. But there is obviously an issue if they fall foul of their greatest barrier - the still day.

This means that, in order to guarantee a desirable return on investment in the creation of wind-farms and the effort expended in constructing the machinery and turbines themselves, it's best to place them in places where the wind flow is almost certainly guaranteed.

There are acres of wind-farms off the coast up and down the country, but, while they are a good source of the winds needed to generate the electricity, the piping required to channel the power on to the shore is expensive. So a cheaper option is required.

And all of that means placing them in places that are possibly going to impact local communities - either from the noise generated or because of the impact on views. 

As a direct result of this, there is an understandable reaction that they should not be built where they are planned but somewhere else away from the complainer's location. This is, of course, the definition of ‘nymbyism' (or “not in my back yard”) - it's needed to be done but not here.

The last government (under the Conservatives) decided that, to appease the clamour from some of the back-benchers, planning applications for onshore wind-farms should be severely restricted. To erect such turbines needed very clear proof that there was no opposition to them being built, which could mean that even one objection would close the application down.

With the new Labour Government, the Right Hon. Rachel Reeves, taking up her role as Chancellor of the Exchequer, made her first speech on 8 July, which highlighted a number of changes to house-building and planning.

In particular, Reeves effectively removed the requirement to reject planning if a single objection to it had been received. It's not a free-for-all, because the government recognises that every decision will require trade-offs to be made. Reeves also noted that the Labour government would also discuss the option of making the construction of future wind-farms part of nationally important infrastructure projects.

You can read more about the announcement and reaction to it in Property Wire's article.

This is, of course, in its early stages and more discussion on the plans will be had before rushing into implementation.

But it does raise the question of what it means to homes that are currently affected by the establishment of onshore wind-farms, or those that might be impacted by plans to construct further farms in the future.

When you appoint your conveyancing solicitor to look after the legal processes of selling and/or buying your home, there are certain standard checks that they will make about you (your identity, your legal privilege to sell the property, your bankruptcy status, etc.), the home you are selling (information to be passed to your buyer's solicitor) and the home you are buying (various searches looking at the property's drainage and water arrangements, any past building projects, etc.).

One of the key searches when buying a property will look at what's happening in the environment, from any transportation projects through new building projects that affect the home to any infrastructural changes. It is in this check that your solicitor will be able to provide information on plans for any renewable energy projects, but specifically onshore wind-farms and how that immediately impacts your future enjoyment of your projected new home.

Looking for an experienced conveyancing solicitor, providing a high-quality service for a competitively low price? That's where you can rely on Homeward Legal! 

They will start work on your planned purchase (and/or sale) as soon as you agree to the quotation and appoint them to represent you. 

Homeward Legal will also provide a quote that will not change - what you are quoted is what you pay for standard conveyancing process.

There are some unforeseen items that might arise during the purchase and/or sale, but the solicitor discusses these and their cost as they come up. 

In addition, to protect the homebuyer further, Homeward Legal operates a ‘no completion, no fee' promise, which ensures that, should the purchase or sale not go through as planned to completion status, no payment is required.