Oct 2006               BLOT submitted a detailed critique of the wind farm proposals to the planning authorities who also received a large number of letters of objection from residents and other local organisations opposed to its construction.
Subsequently, nothing much was heard for a year about planning progress whilst consultations took place.

Mar 2007             Ruling by the Advertising Standards Agency that several aspects of Npower’s second newsletter were misleading.

Nov 2007             Npower appointed a new project manager and it became clear that a revised planning application was in prospect.

Apr 2008              A Press Release was issued by Npower stating that the wind farm was to be redesigned and a new application submitted to replace the original proposal which had been judged deficient in many respects by planners, statutory consultees ( including English Heritage), and local residents alike.
Despite claims at the time by Npower’s communication agents, Green Issues Communications, that Npower attached great importance to keeping residents and the community informed about developments, nothing more was heard for the ensuing 9 months.

Jan 2009               A revised planning application from Npower was submitted to the three local planning authorities for a re-designed wind farm; also a newsletter was issued to residents – at more than one year old it remains the most recent available.

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Summary of Revised (Current) Proposal:
Npower have proposed that the number of turbines be reduced from 16 to 12, most with revised locations, including one closer to Harrold village. An electricity sub-station, control room and works compound are still required, together with about 7.5 miles of new access roads. Despite the reduction in turbine numbers, it is now claimed that the rated output capacity, efficiency and benefits of the proposed (but as yet unspecified) turbines has somehow increased well above the established  norm for most other land-based turbines.  Additionally, if these higher outputs are to be achieved, a transformer blockhouse is likely to be required, mounted externally at the base of each turbine. The 14-month construction period and design life of 25 years remain the same as before.

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Feb/Mar 2009    BLOT held four public roadshows in local villages to assist in updating local residents about the revised planning application and issued a newsletter detailing the changes.        

March 2009         BLOT responded to the revised application with further detailed critiques concerning potential Noise effects and the inadequacies of the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), especially in respect of visual, landscape and wildlife issues.

June 2009            Npower was advised by the planning authorities that it must update and re-submit a number of reports in the EIS. It was always clear to objectors that the latest EIS would require a significant overhaul not least because of the passage of time since original surveys were conducted, changes that had been proposed, significant shortcomings in the original EIS and higher standards of survey work expected by planners.

Dec 2009              The Advertising Standards Agency upheld an earlier BLOT complaint that part of Npower’s newsletter of Jan 2009 was misleading – re-using a photograph that had previously been determined as misleading by the ASA the first time around (see entry at Mar 2007 above).

March 2011    The Planning Inspectorate advised that Appeals have been lodged in respect of all three Council planning decisions (despite the fact that Wellingborough Council had not yet met to determine their planning decision pending the supply of additional information by the Applicant).

October 2011  The Appeal by Npower Renewables will be heard by the Planning Inspectorate, starting 4th October. For details about dates and venues click on the 'Latest' button above.