Save and Restore Walshaw Moor have just alerted us to how Calderdale Energy Park’s planning process leader has convened a coalition of onshore wind developers and operators in England to engage directly with the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero – which is responsible for deciding on the proposed development’s Development Consent Order application. The English Onshore Wind Farm Developers Forum held its inaugural meeting in September this year. It was apparently attended by the DESNZ onshore wind team, which “shared the government perspective”, at Cubico’s offices.

It’s important that any lobbying is public knowledge. The Peatland Alliance is sending DESNZ a Freedom of Information request about their participation in the meeting, including any discussion of Calderdale Energy Park. Pershing Consultants, the employer of Calderdale Energy Park’s planning process leader, doesn’t appear on the Register of Consultant Lobbyists. So that way of finding out about any lobbying of DESNZ by or on behalf of Calderdale Energy Park is not open to us.

More about this meeting and concerns raised here.