Campaign group concerned about wind farms loses fight with ministers

Suffolk Energy Action Solutions challenged a 2022 decision by then Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng relating to two winds farms off Suffolk.

Aerial view of Walberswick on the Suffolk coast. A campaign group which raised concern about the creation of two wind farms off the Suffolk coast has lost a High Court fight with ministers (Fiona Hanson/PA) (PA Archive)

A campaign group that raised concerns about the creation of two wind farms off Suffolk has lost a High Court fight with ministers.

Suffolk Energy Action Solutions (SEAS), which aims to protect areas of Suffolk, challenged a decision, made in March 2022 by then business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, allowing the wind farms to be developed by two subsidiaries of ScottishPower Renewables.

The group raised concern about the ability of landowners facing possible compulsory purchase to present objections – and argued that Mr Kwarteng had acted unlawfully.

But a judge on Friday dismissed the group’s challenge.

Mr Justice Holgate has outlined his conclusions in a written ruling after considering arguments at a High Court hearing in London in May.

He said the central issue had been whether the way a complaint by Suffolk Energy Action Solutions, relating to the ability of landowners to present objections, had been dealt with lawfully.

The judge said the wind farms “would deliver” about 7.5% of the UK’s “cumulative deployment target for renewable energy in 2030”.

Cables would export electricity to a “landfall” near Thorpeness then to a substation in Friston.

He said Suffolk Energy Action Solutions had been set up in 2019.

“Its members are drawn from Aldeburgh, Snape, Friston and neighbouring villages and towns,” he said.

“Their object is to protect areas of the coast and countryside said to be threatened by the scheme.

“SEAS supports renewable energy including the proposed offshore works in this case.

“But it contended that (ministers) should refuse development consent for the onshore works because of their impact on people, the countryside, and the environment.

“SEAS submitted that better solutions could and should be found for bringing onshore the electricity generated by wind farms in the North Sea.”