§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the holding of low flying military exercises near renewable wind developments; [160259]
(2) if he will make a statement on the effect of renewable wind developments on military low flying exercises. [160268]
§ Mr. CaplinThe presence of wind farms in most areas of the UK presents no difficulty to low flying training providing pilots are aware of the existence and position of the developments. They are treated the same as any other obstruction; displayed on military low flying charts and published in the Military Aeronautical Planning Document Volume 3 Part 1. They are then taken into account during route planning and avoided by standard separation criteria, these vary according to the type of aircraft.
The Tactical Training Areas and the Electronic Warfare Training Range at Spadeadam in the English/ Scottish border region are critical to low flying training because aircraft are allowed to fly at much lower levels. Within these areas an accumulation of wind turbines, particularly if combined with other obstacles, could give rise to concerns and could affect our ability to conduct operational flying training effectively. We are therefore more likely to raise objections to proposals for developments in these areas.