Ministry of Defence and Radar Interference

Humble Hill, Kielder

On Kielder side the wind blaws wide
There sounds nae hunting horn
That rings so sweet as winds that beat
Round banks where Tyne is born

In the Spring 2000 edition of OpenView we featured an article about the need to take account of military and civil radar interference from windfarms. Two projects (07-02Graigenlee Fell in Galloway and 08-07Humble Hill, Kielder Forest, Northumberland ) were mentioned and both have since been rejected or withdrawn after MOD objections.

In the case of Humble Hill, a headline in the Financial Times on May 20th read

" 'Green' power : MoD threat to future of £4bn wind farm project"

The article, by Andrew Taylor, Utilities Correspondent, was referring to the total cost of the UK wind energy programme, including the newly announced off-shore projects. The news of the MOD's decision was sent to the developer, EcoGen, by the DTI in a letter dated 29 March 2001, which stated:

"..the Ministry of Defence objected to the original proposal on the grounds that the wind turbines would interfere with primary and secondary radar therefore impairing the effectiveness of the nearby Spadeadam Electronic Tactics Range (EWTR). In an effort to overcome the MOD's objection the Company reduced the number of wind turbines and reconfigured their location on the site. To this effect the Company submitted a variation to the application.........the MOD maintained their original objection, that is, a windfarm operating in the vicinity of the ETWR would be unacceptable as the training facilities of the EWTR are unique and imperative for the front-line training of RAF crews. MOD believe that the proposed windfarm would interfere both with radar and also with low flying, creating an acute safety hazard to both to members of the public and RAF crews.The MOD indicated that current studies have not conclusively proved that the rotating action of wind turbine blades has no effect on ground and airborne radar. Therefore they rely on their own research which concludes that wind turbines cause interference to primary surveillance radar and also that detection and tracking of aircraft flying over a windfarm is extremely difficult since the responses between the aircraft and the turbine cannot be distinguished.MOD further indicated that the Spadeadam EWTR is a Tactical Training Area (TTA) where aircraft can be flown at 100ft above ground level, which is significantly lower than the 250ft height which applies to most of the rest of the UK low flying system. Therefore for the safety of members of the public and aircrews it is imperative that any hazards to low flying aircraft are minimised, especially those hazards over 100ft high. The safety of low-level flying assumes increased importance in a high workload environment such as the EWTR and the associated TTA. Notwithstanding the "terrain screening tactics" alluded to by the Company, pilots flying in this area are subject to simulated surface to air missile attacks and respond with sudden low level evasive manoeuvres. Whilst pilots are carrying out such manoeuvres it is an unacceptable flight safety hazard to place 107 wind turbines each of approximately 240ft high in the same area".

Ecogen Developments said that it would be seeking a judicial review of the DTI decision. David Still, president of BWEA, said " The MOD policy means there is an effective blanket ban on onshore windfarms covering large areas of the country most suitable for wind developments, particularly in Wales and Scotland." Dominic Maclaine, editor of Power UK, the FT newsletter, said the outcome of the judicial review "could have wide-ranging implications for other wind farm projects". With reference to offshore sites, the Crown Estates said: "The MOD has informed us of potential concerns at some sites. We hope these can be resolved by discussion and would be disappointed if they represented a blanket ban". The MOD denied that it was seeking a blanket ban on windfarms. It said, "We rejected plans in the 1990s for 20km exclusion Zones [from wind farms] around radar installations in favour of considering each development on its merits and case by case". It had approved wind farm developments close to radar installations such as the Royal Navy Aviation Station at Culdrose in Cornwall. Scottish Power, which is planning to develop with others the biggest single offshore site near Blackpool (Red Booklet 11-42, 11-43, 11-44) said the MOD had expressed concern about the potential impact on radar systems at the nearby British Aerospace complex where the Eurofighter was being developed.

Feb 2002.

Ecogen has been given leave to apply for a Judicial Review if the MOD's decision to reject the windfarm on the grounds of danger to low-flying aircraft. It may ay go to court in March or April.  

May 2002

Blast from the judge blows out wind farm May 3 2002By Tony Henderson, The Journal

A six-year struggle to site the biggest wind farm in the UK in Northumberland was dealt another blow last night.EcoGen wants to erect 100 80-metre turbines - twice the height of Grey's Monument in Newcastle - at Humble Hill near Kielder. But a year ago then Trade and Industry Minister Stephen Byers "reluctantly" turned down the bid after the Ministry of Defence's objections that the turbines would interfere with jets training to dodge simulated surface-to-air missile attacks and radar systems at nearby RAF Spadeadam. EcoGen then won permission to seek a judicial review and yesterday the company was in the High Court asking that the decision be quashed.

But Mr Justice Sullivan rejected the application, criticised the company and ordered EcoGen to pay £4,392 in Government costs.Last night EcoGen chairman Tim Kirby described the hearing as "bizarre" and said that the company may appeal."We are disappointed. We don't think the judge properly considered the background to the case," he said. The judge had warned against "procedural games" in High Court challenges.The court heard that Spadeadam contained a "unique and imperative" front-line tactical training area, where planes fly as low as 100ft and engage in sudden manoeuvres.Permission to bring a full legal challenge was granted to EcoGen last December. It was on the basis that Mr Byers might have acted unfairly by refusing to give the company the opportunity to explain why it believed a public inquiry should be held. Robert McCracken, appearing for EcoGen, argued in court that, before there could be "meaningful representations", the decision last March to refuse planning permission for the wind farm must be quashed. Until it was quashed, the Government planners would lack the necessary powers to take further action, he said.Referring to the argument as "Alice in Wonderland", the judge said: "I have never heard such a ridiculous thing in my life." Then he said: "Correction. I have heard things in this jurisdiction more ridiculous, but it is still running some of them close. It seems to me there is no real difficulty in the Secretary of State considering whether there are any arguments for holding an inquiry, and then deciding in the light of that information whether or not it would be appropriate to consent to the quashing of his decision." He said: "I have no hesitation in saying the claimant's attitude in this matter is unreasonable and absurd."A spokeswoman for Tynedale Council said last night that the authority had not objected to the Humble Hill plans. A Northumberland County Council spokesman said: "The Government has set high renewable energy targets and our view is that they will be very difficult to achieve in a county like Northumberland with open landscapes as we feel Humble Hill, which is remote, is as good a site as any. "It is difficult to see which sites would be acceptable if this site is not so."

An RAF spokesman said: "Spadeadam is a unique resource for the training of operational pilots."

 With acknowledgements to:

 THE NEWCASTLE JOURNAL

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100local/page.cfm?objectid=11840748&method=full