There are two systems in development to attempt to mitigate the potential effect of windturbines on radar.

The responsibility for Safety lies with the developer and the Airport Management it seems. Surely there should not be any building of wind farms in areas where permission has been given on the understanding these systems would work satisfactorily. They may in future but are not yet available

Safety of passengers and crew are paramount

I know nothing about radar, Lizabeth, but I understand there are concerns about bats, a protected species, in the vicinity of wind turbines.

Odd; there are more laws to protect bats than people on planes. Maybe the radar's are different. Help!

Tizzy Think it may be easier to expand on this using PM if you are interested.

However the issue is
“Planning for Renewable Energy, a Companion Guide to Planning Policy Statement 22”, makes it clear that the onus is on the applicant to prove that a proposal will have no adverse effect on aviation interests.
and that
For Walkway wind farm and DTVA
Although the issue did not appear to have been satisfactorily addressed consent was given for the wind farm and it is now I understand being built

I will post some comments which express my concerns on this subject. These relate to yet another development proposed for the North East but are from an official source and I hope shed some light on this serious problem.

A letter sent to to Tony Blair expressing concern re Walkway and the adjacent consented Butterwick wind farm was not answered

Thanks, I walked myself through the elementary aspects earlier on. Still a bit to go. :)

Is the Selex system you are talking about the same as is installed in Rome & Milan?

Tizzy
A little more as promised.each application is site specific but these facts remain

Airports have a legal obligation to maintain a safe aviation environment for the Airport.

The applicants and appellant then consider a number of possible forms of mitigation:
The Civil Aviation Authority's mandatory transponders for certain aircraft,
Stealth materials in the construction of wind turbines
Re-routing of flights.

MY main concern regarding Walkway and Butterwick

There is no certainty that the technology can be implemented
and tested before the proposals are implemented;

Impacts of the mitigation itself (including environmental and
economic) must be adequately assessed;

The mitigation must address the cumulative impact of the
proposals.

Still awaiting the promised answer from Durham Tees Valley airport DTVA Manager regarding the potential adverse effect on aviation by the Walkway/Butterwick wind turbines
The Walkway wind farm is said to be under construction

Reports from MOD and I believe NATS and CAA are supposed to be checked every two years

This issue has been around a long time and has not yet been solved
Extract from the Decision Letter March 2001 to David Still then Manager for Amec Border Wind



He agrees that the Spadeadam EWTR is an integral part of the training of RAF aircrew, providing facilities unique in Europe.

Still awaiting the promised reply from DTVA Now another wind farm is being proposed even nearer the airport.