To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the cost of decommissioning a 2MW wind turbine, including the cost of removing concrete foundations, access roads and associated infrastructures, and restoring sites to their original condition; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that such decommissioning is properly carried out. (175677)

No such estimate has been made. Decommissioning conditions are applied to onshore wind farm planning permissions to ensure restoration of the site to the satisfaction of the local authority once the planning permission lifetime has expired. It is common practice for developers to enter into agreements pursuant to section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to ensure funds are available for such decommissioning work.