Q & A

The developer is Fred Olsen Renewables, a Norwegian company.  The wind farm has been initiated by the landowners of Barningham Estate, the Millbank family and East Arkengarthdale, owned by Eric Torstenson.

The wind farm is located on stunning, restored high moorland in the North Pennines on the borders of North Yorkshire and County Durham overlooking the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the North Pennines National Landscape.  The area is vast, covering over 11sq km of moorland on Barningham Moor, Kexwith Moor, Holgate Moor, East Arkengarthdale and Hope Moor.  The development consists of 23 turbines, each of 200m high, together with 23 crane pads, a road network linking each turbine, access roads and a site construction area.  As of July 2026, the grid connection and details are yet to be disclosed, together with information on site access to water, road construction materials and transport strategy to bring everything to the site.

There is much project information that the developers have not yet provided so unfortunately, a full picture at this stage is not possible.

The project is large with 23 turbines of 200m high and will therefore bring over 100MW of electricity.  Due to it being over 100MW this development is being considered as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), which means the decision will be made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Before a decision is made, the application will be examined by the Planning Inspectorate, which will consider the evidence, consultation responses and representations received from interested parties before making a recommendation to the Secretary of State.  

The process is complex, once the procedures are complete, a judgement will be made, where upon it could be deemed an unsuitable location for this size and type of development.Hope Moor Wind Farm Action Group CIC offers a range of Energy Management services, including energy audits, energy monitoring and reporting, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC solutions, and renewable energy options such as solar and wind power.

There are a number of Statutory Consultees that have been asked to consult and provide information to the Planning Inspectorate including but not exclusive to the following:

Durham County Council Planning Authority

North Yorkshire County Council Planning Authority

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

North Pennines National Landscape

Historic England

Environment Agency

Ministry of Defence

National Air Traffic Services (NATS)

National Grid and National Highways

Local Town Councils and Parish Councils

The proposed Hope Moor Wind Farm site is located outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park, between Barnard Castle and Richmond, however it is very close to the Park’s north-eastern boundary. The site straddles the boundary between Durham County Council and North Yorkshire Council, and both Councils have been consulted.  Although the proposed development is outside the National Park, developments beyond its boundary can still affect the National Park’s landscape, views, tranquillity, dark skies, wildlife, heritage and other special qualities. For this reason, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is involved in the consultation process as a statutory consultee.

No official stance has been announced from any of the Statutory Consultees as to whether to support or object to the Hope Moor Wind Farm proposal. As the project is still at the pre-application stage, the focus has been on reviewing the information available and identifying where further assessment is needed. In the responses to the stage one consultation and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) scoping process, many concerns have been raised about the potential effects of the proposal, including its landscapes, views, tranquillity, dark skies, wildlife, heritage and visitor economy.  Requests have been made to the Planning Inspectorate for additional evidence and assessment by the developer to help understand these and other potential impacts. 

Following the responses to the initial EIA scoping process, in July 2026 the Planning Inspectorate produced a robust response to Fred Olsen the developer, ordering the developer to go back to the drawing board and include many more assessments and to include areas of concern that were initially ignored by the developer.  See our Campaign News for further information.

The role of a statutory consultee is to provide independent advice on matters that could affect for example the Yorkshire Dales National Park or concerns about the geology, heritage assets of the proposed site. The final decision on whether the proposal should proceed will be made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, following independent evidence gathered by the Statutory Consultees and then final examination by the Planning Inspectorate.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority recognises the important role that renewable energy can play in tackling climate change. However, based on the information provided so far, they have identified several issues that they believe require further assessment before any application can be properly considered. The main concerns relate to the potential effects of the proposed development on:

• Landscape and views, including views into, out of and across the National Park. 
• Tranquillity, remoteness and sense of place, which are among the special qualities of the Yorkshire Dales.
• Dark skies, including the potential impact of turbine and aviation lighting on the Yorkshire Dales International Dark Sky Reserve.
• Wildlife and habitats, including birds, bats, peatland and moorland habitats.
• Heritage and archaeology, including the setting of historic features and landscapes.
• Tourism and the local economy, particularly where visitor experiences are linked to landscape, tranquillity and dark skies.

At this stage, their role is not to decide whether the proposal should or should not proceed. Instead, they are seeking to ensure that the potential effects on the National Park and its special qualities are properly assessed and understood before any decision is made.

• Stage One Consultation – Completed (May–June 2026)
• Environmental studies and assessments – Currently Ongoing
• Further consultation on proposal and Environmental Statement expected late 2026/early 2027 (timing tbc)
• DCO Application submitted to the Planning Inspectorate – Mid 2027 (timing tbc)
• Examination of the application – Autumn 2028 (timing tbc)
• Recommendation to the Secretary of State (timing tbc)
• Final decision by the Secretary of State – Early 2029 (timing tbc)

The proposed turbines could be visible from extensive parts of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, particularly from higher ground and some long-distance viewpoints. The turbines are proposed to be up to 200 metres high and located close to the National Park’s north-eastern boundary.

How visible they would be depends on factors such as distance, topography, weather conditions and the location of the viewer.  Current estimates are that it will be viewed from as far away as over 45km, visible from the Lake District for example.  See our maps for the current visualisation for 45km.

Requests have been made to the developer for wider and more detailed assessment of landscape and visual impacts, including views into, out of and across the National Park, and the cumulative effects of other proposed wind energy developments in the area. Visualisations and further information are expected to be provided as the project develops and additional assessments are completed.

Yes you can write to your MP and local councillors.  The more people who write and communicate the stronger our voices will be heard.  You can also email the developer direct at info@hopemoor.co.uk 

All correspondence will be taken into consideration, please try to keep your communication considered and instead of saying simply “I object” say what you are concerned about and why.  Whether it be your special walk for your wellbeing, which will be spoilt by the destruction of the wild landscape or you live down in the valley and are concerned about the destruction of the moorland a natural floodgate.  Here are some more examples:

1. Landscape and visual impact
   The open moorland landscape is highly valued for its natural beauty and sense of remoteness. The proposed turbine scale risks dominating views and fundamentally altering the character of the landscape, losing its identity.
2. Ecology & Wildlife
   The area supports important ecology as well as rare bird species including ground-nesting birds, (red and amber listed birds and birds of National importance, like Curlews). These birds are vulnerable to disturbance and habitat disruption; it is known that many are killed by the blades of the turbines, and now there are reports that the highly sensitive birds, like the Curlew, once a development of this size is allowed, they will never come back - we could lose our local wildlife as we know it today. 
3. The Moorland/Environment
   The moorland is made up of highly sensitive peatland, much of which is classed as deep peat.  A highly valuable carbon capturing/storage area, that if built upon will cease to exist, it is irreplaceable; it is our greatest national carbon store.

We also encourage you to ask the developer any questions that you may have.

Should you wish to send a copy of your email to the campaign please send your email to contact@hopemooraction.org.uk

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The Action Group found out about the campaign in late October 2025.  Since then people from the local community and those farther away have joined to support the campaign.   We have been very fortunate to receive support from the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Botham, Rishi Sunak MP,  our local councillors and local media.  We welcomed the news that the Darlington and Stockton Times have started their own campaign, Save Hope Moor.   Lord Botham, cricket legend and crossbench peer is actively raising our profile within his campaign, Not One Moor.  A campaign to oppose controversial large scale wind farm developments on Northern English moorlands, aiming to save our iconic landscapes from industrial demolition. 

To read more about the media coverage and support please go to the Media Coverage section on the website.

The Hope Moor Wind Farm Action Group supports a transition to renewable energy. However, we do not believe that industrial-scale renewable energy developments should be built at the expense of our irreplaceable natural environments.

In our view, a development of this scale should not be considered for this location; a fragile upland landscape containing priority habitats, internationally important peatlands, and critical ecosystems. Once damaged, these environments cannot simply be recreated or replaced through mitigation. This special place with its unique ecosystem and protected blanket bog has taken thousands of years to form, and its loss cannot be offset within any meaningful human timescale.

This is a remarkable landscape that deserves to be here for future generations. We believe it should be safeguarded, not industrialised.

Our principal concerns relate to the potential impacts on:

• Priority habitats and critical ecosystems, including irreplaceable blanket bog, peatland, heathland and species-rich moorland that support biodiversity, store vast quantities of carbon and help regulate water.
• Wildlife, including breeding Curlews, black grouse, birds of prey, bats and other protected and vulnerable species that depend upon this interconnected upland landscape.
• Landscape and visual impact, including the transformation of one of northern England’s finest open moorland landscapes through the construction of 23 turbines, each up to 200 metres high, together with roads, crane pads, substations and extensive underground cabling and a grid connection that will walk across the land through our tranquil countryside.
• Tranquillity, wildness and sense of place, qualities that make Hope Moor such an important landscape for both wildlife and people.
• The historic environment, including prehistoric archaeology, burial monuments, ancient settlements, lead mining remains and a cultural landscape shaped over thousands of years dating back to 2000BC
• Dark skies, including the effects of turbine and aviation lighting on one of the region’s most valued night-time landscapes.
• Water, geology and fragile peatland hydrology, where excavation and construction could have long lasting consequences for the natural floodgate, drainage, water quality and downstream catchments.
• Local communities, health and wellbeing, where access to peaceful, wild landscapes provides significant recreational, physical and mental health benefits.
• Tourism and the rural economy, which rely on the area’s outstanding scenery, wildlife, heritage and sense of remoteness.

We believe that no amount of mitigation can truly compensate for the permanent loss of irreplaceable blanket bog and other priority habitats. Some places are simply too environmentally important to industrialise.

Our campaign exists to ensure that this special landscape is protected and that future generations inherit a living moor, rich in wildlife, heritage and natural beauty—not one that has been permanently transformed by industrial development into a brownfield site. 

“Some places are simply too environmentally important to industrialise.”