Question reference: S6W-21726
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 25 September 2023
-
Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 October 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many decisions to refuse onshore wind development with a capacity of less than 50 megawatts have been upheld by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division.
Answer
The number of decisions to refuse applications for onshore wind developments*, with a capacity of less than 50 megawatts, which have been upheld (appeal dismissed) by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division is set out in the following table.
The number of decisions to refuse applications for onshore wind development which have been overturned (appeal allowed) by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division are provided as a point of comparison.
Single Turbine | Windfarm (multiple turbines) | Total | |
Appeals dismissed | 75 | 112 | 187 |
Appeals Allowed | 78 | 84 | 162 |
Decisions are required to be made in line with the development plan for the area and on the planning merits of each case. Planning approvals by reporters make up a small percentage of permissions granted each year. In the last year planning authorities determined 24,983** planning applications granting planning permission in 93.5% of cases.
* figures shown cover the period between 2002 and 26 September 2023
** Planning applications referred to cover a wide range of matters and are not restricted to wind farm proposal applications