Client – Hampshire County Council

Objectives
  1. To identify locations where it is technically possible to harness onshore wind resource.
  2. To analyse the locations of wind resource identified for any constraints to wind turbine development.
  3. To reflect and interpret, within the assessment of onshore wind potential, the guidance on renewable energy developments set out in the UK Energy White Paper, proposed alterations to the RPG, and the consultation draft PPS22.
  4. To identify areas with the potential for wind turbine development in the immediate future.
Methodology

The methodology employed to meet the objectives comprised the following elements:

  1. A review of planning policies, and of previous estimates of the target for onshore wind targets in Hampshire.
  2. A GIS mapping exercise to identify broad areas where planning constraints for onshore wind developments are at a minimum, and where technical potential exists.
  3. A workshop for planning and other officials to facilitate an understanding of the criteria necessary for wind farm development, and to use local officials’ knowledge to refine the GIS maps.
Conclusions

GIS mapping provided a comprehensive range of potential constraints to significant wind energy development within Hampshire, taking into account both technical and environmental factors.

This dataset provided the backbone of a workshop for planners and stakeholders, which sought to disseminate up-to-date information about wind energy, establish if Hampshire could meet its RPG target, to assess the adequacy of planning policies and identify the potential resource.