Power and perception - From paradigms of specialist disciplines and opinions of expert groups to an acceptance for the planning of onshore windfarms in England - Making a case for Social Impact Assessment (SIA)

Muthoora, Tara ORCID: 0000-0001-5178-312X and Fischer, Thomas B ORCID: 0000-0003-1436-1221 (2019) Power and perception - From paradigms of specialist disciplines and opinions of expert groups to an acceptance for the planning of onshore windfarms in England - Making a case for Social Impact Assessment (SIA). LAND USE POLICY, 89. p. 104198.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104198

Abstract

Starting point for the research underlying this paper was the question why there were low rates of planning approval for Community Energy (CE) onshore windfarms in England, despite an overall supportive policy position. In order to get an indication for possible reasons, results of an in-depth review of one community driven project are provided; the Valley Wind Cooperative (VWC) in Kirklees, West Yorkshire. Importantly, a disconnect between policy and practice is observed. Views and associated perceptions of experts of certain disciplines, including e.g. landscape architecture, ecology and tourism development represent specialised but not necessarily more widely shared values of local communities. They play a particular important role in explaining the disconnect. In the presence of an overall positive attitude towards windfarm proposals of local communities, this is problematic as it prevents socially accepted projects from gaining approval. Whilst social impact assessment (SIA) can facilitate debate and community support, trade-offs between different views need to be balanced and should not be dominated by perceptions of particular (disciplinary) groups.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Social Impact Assessment (SIA), Community energy, Onshore windfarm planning, Social acceptance, Participation, Expert opinion, Statutory consultees, Power
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	31 Oct 2019 16:27
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 00:21
DOI:	10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104198
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104198
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3060126