A French court of appeal has annulled the permit for the 226MW Mont des Quatre Faux wind farm, citing concerns over its visual impact on the surrounding landscape. The project, which was being developed by EDF Renewables and Renner Energies, was set to consist of 63 wind turbines in the Ardennes region.
The annulment follows objections from local groups in nearby villages, who raised concerns about the wind farm’s impact on the area’s visual landscape. The Administrative Court of Appeal of Nancy ruled that the wind farm would contribute to “visual saturation” in the area, given its location on a “vast plateau composed of sparsely wooded agricultural land with wide views and few visual obstacles.”
The court emphasized that the visibility of the wind turbines would be high, particularly due to the presence of other wind farms within a 10km radius, which had already been authorized. With turbine blade heights reaching 200 meters, the court concluded that efforts to mitigate the visual impact, such as vegetation and reduction measures, would not sufficiently address the issue of “encirclement and visual saturation” for residents in nearby villages.
The court further noted that the wind farm would “significantly aggravate the encirclement of the horizons” for villages bordering the proposed site.
The annulment marks a setback for the €250 million project. ReNEWS has contacted EDF Renewables for a statement regarding the ruling.
