Bolsterstone initially entered the wind farm scene a few years ago with the intention of developing about 10 sites in England and Scotland.  It boasted about the way the locations had been carefully selected through a progressive screening process so that only the best quality sites would be progressed.

Five of these projects have now bitten the dust and the companies set up for them have been dissolved.  They did not even reach the application stage.  They are Brixworth, Great Cransley, Fletchertown, Aston and Woodland.

It seems that the careful, progressive screening process was nothing of the sort.  The Woodland site in County Durham, for example, was found to be riddled with underground mine shafts.

Six other wind farm projects are still active and the status of these is shown below:

Fewcott with Ardley (Oxfordshire)

Status:  This 4-turbine scheme was permitted on appeal after Cherwell DC rejected the application 14-0.  As a result of this application Cherwell is now recommending a minimum distance of 800 metres between turbines and dwellings.

Reeves Hill (Herefordshire & Powys)

Status:  Herefordshire has finally granted permission for this 4-turbine scheme after the Secretary of State returned the application undetermined.  Powys has yet to grant permission for access to the site via Powys roads.

Opposition Group:  www.shcg.co.uk

Newlands, Cumwhinton (Carlisle)

Status:  Refused.  Initial 3-turbine application rejected by Carlisle CC.  Appeal rejected at Public Inquiry.  Two separate applications re-submitted, one for two turbines, one for a single turbine (with the likely intention of adding a second at a later date - the on-site track layout is the same for both schemes).  Both new applications refused.

Opposition Group:  www.againstnewlandswindfarm.co.uk

Dunsland Cross (Devon)

Status:  Re-submission for a 3-turbine scheme imminent following Torridge District Council's rejection of the 4-turbine scheme in 2009.

Opposition Group:  www.dunslandcrosswindfarm.net

Hawton, Newark (Nottinghamshire)

Status:  Application for 3 x 126.5 m turbines submitted to South Newark and Sherwood District Council in November 2011.  Application number 11/01588/FULM, not yet determined.

Opposition Group:  South Newark Opposes Wind Turbines (SNOW)

Corbanchory Farm, near Alford, Aberdeenshire

Status:  Scoping

There is possibly one other project under consideration at Thornhill in Stirling, Scotland.