The government's Planning Policy Statement 22 on Renewable Energy will replace the outdated Planning Policy Guidance 22. As part of the Government's planning reforms, PPSs are designed to be shorter than PPGs and contain only policy.

There is no doubt that energy efficiency is the number one priority and CPRE supports the use of renewable energy, but not at the expense of the character, beauty or tranquillity of rural landscapes. A major concern is the promotion of large scale wind farms which is not likely to be either sustainable or acceptable. Already there is an expected planning application in East Hampshire for a wind farm within the proposed boundaries of the South Downs National Park which CPRE Hampshire will fight.

Prior to publication of PPS22, CPRE established 10 tests for Government Policy. The tests pressed for planning for renewable energy development to:

• Deliver energy conservation and efficiency
  
  
• Not to be based on 'predict and provide' approach
  
  
• Focus on the potential role of all renewable technologies, and that these may vary according to their location
  
  
• Ensure that development is appropriate in type and scale to the local environment
  
  
• Ensure that present and future implications of renewables on the countryside should be carefully assessed through development control
  
  
• Ensure that the impact of development on its local surroundings should not be prejudged during strategic planning
  
  
• Help enable the development of community-based, small-scale and embedded energy technologies
  
  
• Offer practical ways to encourage public participation
  
  
• Require that all plans and programmes that include policies for energy provision benefit from Strategic Environmental Assessment
  
  

CPRE Hampshire supports the development of renewable sources of energy supply, but not at any price.

November 2004