The Application by Gamesa Energy

ERM have prepared a scoping report (June 2006) for an intended "Renewable Energy Park" at Shap.  Gamesa Energy UK, owned by the Spanish multi-national Gamesa, are proposing to put twelve [now ten] turbines up to 387 feet (118 metres) [now 100 metres] tall on land immediately next to the Coast to Coast route and less than 500 yards from Shap Village.  The proposed site extends north along the A6 and east across both carriageways of the M6 and beyond.  A second area proposed for the wind farm surrounds Castlehow Scar, opposite Hardendale. [No longer included.]   Also part of the plan is over an acre of solar panels. [Now just on the control centre.]

The purpose of a scoping report is to elicit a response from the planning authority - in this case Eden District Council - to advise on what areas to focus on in the Environment Impact Assessment that would accompany the formal planning application.  Eden District Council in the meantime gather views from various national bodies relating to wildlife and heritage etc.  This stage normally takes about a month, then it is likely that a planning application will be made.

ERM have referred in their scoping document to the Whinash judgment, and have sought to minimise similarities.  There are of course many similarities, and a number of Shap and Crosby Ravensworth residents will seek to highlight these, and the contradictions between Gamesa's proposals and the current planning policy of Eden District Council. 

Whatever views are held about wind farms - and government policy would appear to be shifting - policy does not allow for construction of wind farms at any cost.  The cost of this proposal becoming reality could be immense in terms of recreation, landscape, tourism and ecology.  Such a construction would change forever the character of our homes, community and villages.

C.O.S.T. Community Opposed to Shap Turbines - contact us on