Navitus Bay: The End of the Line

For all the green lobby's whinging over the cancellation of Navitus Bay there is something we all need to be crystal clear about:

Navitus Bay Offshore Wind Park was recommended for rejection by the quasi-judicial Independent Planning Authority. Not the government.

The Planning Authority were influenced by objections from UNESCO, English Heritage, the local mainland councils and thousands upon thousands of local people who took the trouble to write in and object.

The government merely rubber-stamped the planning authorities decision.

Even EDF recognised this when yesterday they abandoned the last avenue for appeal – a Judicial revue.

Why did they abandon it?

Because they knew they would lose hands down. The Planning Authority decision was rock solid.

Even so Amber Rudd is getting it in the neck from the Green lobby for announcing the final veto. One can only assume that the Greens think the government should over-rule independent bodies if they arrive at decisions the Greens do not like.

The Greens never have been too keen on democracy and the rule of law – unless it has been in their favour.

Sadly though, for every offshore wind complex that is rejected there will be ten approvals.

These schemes will be equally as costly and useless as Navitus. But the coastlines they ruin just will be a little more ordinary than the Jurassic coast. A little more expendable. While their fatuous extravagance will be funded by the ever growing army of those in fuel poverty.


The appalling waste that is off-shore wind will go on.