Do they benefit communities or bring planning into disrepute?

The UK is seeing a growth in the development of wind power generation as the Government seeks to meet EU renewable energy targets. Wind energy developments can often have a significant impact on the appearance of the landscape. For this and other reasons they are often highly controversial in the local areas where they are proposed. This briefing sets out the findings of CPRE’s investigation of a growing number of cases where developers of new wind farms are offering various forms of payments and benefits directly to local communities, as a means of overcoming opposition to development.

These voluntary ‘goodwill payments’, sometimes also known as ‘community funds’, are also routinely offered by at least three leading generators of wind power in connection with every new proposed development.

Click the PDF icon below to read the full CPRE briefing document.