It is an acknowledged fact that with the perpetuation of global warming, governments will have to examine their renewable energy policies. Indeed, the European Union in recent weeks has announced an examination of policy, where emphasis is being given to how renewable energies can be brought forward, sooner rather than later. In this country in the last year, the Government has released new planning guidance to enable local authorities to better determine planning applications for wind farms. Wind farms are simply one source of renewable energy, the debate against which in terms of their impact on the landscape is heating up. The debates are reminiscent of those that have surrounded the development of mobile telephone masts in the last 15 years. Many of us use mobile telephones, but are unwilling to accept the intrusion of a telephone mast in close proximity to our homes. Government guidance states that local planners should support wind farm development projects that are well conceived and which are sensitive to environmental impacts. This current government policy has been tested at a major inquiry this month into a wind farm in Cumbria. The planning inspector recommended refusal of the application for the Cumbrian site after acknowledging the Government's commitment to renewable energy. The Secretary of State agreed with his inspector and issued the decision accordingly. There seems to be a consensus that wind farm projects are becoming commercially viable. In recent years, we have seen a plethora of new companies becoming involved in the development of wind farms. These new "green" energy companies have been criticised for linking up the need for renewable energy projects and the identification of locations for new developments independent of each other with little consultation with local communities. It is possible that the first a local community hears of the potential for a wind farm in their locality is a planning application for a anemometer (wind gauge). A recent planning application for an 80m tall anemometer in Northumberland has been rejected after concerns from local councillors that it was a precursor to the erection of a wind farm. Whereas the anemometer, despite its height, may not in itself be generally obtrusive, the resultant development that it may lead to is considered by some to be obtrusive. Such decisions appear to endanger the planning system and potentially destroy its credibility in the assessment of renewable energy resources. When a decision is made to refuse a anemometer for reasons discussed, a level of pre-judging of a future project, which has not as yet materialised into the public realm is being given. Who is to say that any future project for a wind farm would be obtrusive? Undoubtedly wind farms can generate an amount of consternation. Ultimately, the questions are what particular landscapes do we wish to protect; and is every part of our countryside sacrosanct such that the wider environment and economic benefits should not be given consideration? If the Government continues with its commitment to renewable sources of energy, wind farms will be sited, given the comment in the Whinash wind farm decision, in those landscapes which are possibly not considered to be particularly special. Every such development project will have an impact and that impact should be considered properly in the public realm. Scott Munro is a planner at law firm Ward Hadaway in Newcastle | 
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