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Wind turbines could become harder to build in parts of County Durham after councillors adopted a new blueprint to protect the North Pennines.
Durham County Council’s cabinet approved the new North Pennines National Landscape Management Plan at its meeting on Wednesday, October 14.
New guidance, which does not ban wind turbines outright, says they should generally be avoided on moorland ridges, summits, plateaus, hilltops and other prominent areas.
The report says the openness and scenery of the North Pennines means that turbines more than 25 metres tall affect the wild feeling of the area.
Speaking as the plan was adopted, Cllr Kyle Genner said: “The proposals have good support and they present a roadmap to a more resilient, nature-rich, and thriving local environment.
“The plan sets out measures that stakeholders can take, but importantly there is no imposition or compulsion.
“This plan is a recipe to make sure that a place we’ve long considered to be incredibly beautiful continues to be beautiful.”
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It says renewable energy has an important role in moving away from fossil fuels and that smaller schemes which are carefully located and do not conflict with the character of the North Pennines may be encouraged.
Cllr Tim McGuinness said the plan supported the council’s ambitions for “practical environmental stewardship” and its objective to “conserve, enhance, and restore natural and built heritage”.
Mark Jackson, director of neighbourhoods and environment, also stressed there was “no compulsion” on farmers and land managers to carry out suggested measures.