Villagers' fury over plans for six huge wind turbines in Yorkshire beauty spot immortalised by David Hockney

Published: 13:44, 22 July 2026 | Updated: 13:44, 22 July 2026 Villagers are up in arms over plans to build six wind turbines at a Yorkshire beauty spot beloved by David Hockney. The 492-foot-high energy converters have been earmarked for the picturesque rural setting of Woldgate near Burton Agnes. Developers say they will form part of the Three Oaks Renewable Energy Park, which includes a solar farm and battery stage. But locals argue the giant turbines will 'ruin' the rolling landscape which inspired the Bradford-born artist, who died last month aged 88. Hockney created a series of paintings of nearby Woldgate Woods which he regularly passed on the way to Bridlington in east Yorkshire, where he had a studio. One piece - titled Woldgate Woods - sold for £9.4m in New York in 2016. Hockney has previously objected to wind farm proposals in the area describing the turbines as 'big ugly things'. But the fresh proposals submitted by developers Ridge Clean Energy last month - just days before the artist's death - have alarmed residents in nearby villages. Rob Booth (left) and Brendan McEvoy who are opposed to wind turbines planned to be built near Bridlington in Yorkshire are pictured Woldgate Woods that appear in many of painter David Hockney's East Yorkshire paintings are seen here British painter David Hockney poses at the Pompidou Centre in Paris on September 26, 2017 in front of one of his painting The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 Local councillor Denise Howard claimed Hockney would be 'heartbroken' to see six giant turbines on the iconic landscape that inspired his work. She added: 'Woldgate is not an anonymous stretch of countryside. 'It is one of the most recognisable landscapes in Yorkshire, celebrated internationally through the work of David Hockney and treasured by the communities that live here. 'Along with Burton Agnes Hall and the Rudston Monolith, this area is crucial to our tourism economy. 'We support renewable energy in the right place, but this is certainly not the right place.' The proposal is for the erection of a wind farm consisting of six turbines and one 300-foot-high (91.4m) meteorological mast inside a 5.4-hectare area. It will also include the installation of underground cabling, transformer kiosks, construction of crane pads, access tracks, and widening of existing vehicular access. In a planning statement report put together on behalf of Ridge Clean Energy the company says the turbines would 'not result in significant adverse effect' on the area adding they are 'capable of being accommodated within the host landscape'. Nancy Miller, a local artist who draws inspiration from the landscape and who works near where 6 wind turbines are planned, is pictured The countryside around Woldgate near Bridlington in Yorkshire near to where 6 wind turbines are planned is seen here The turbines are estimated to produce the equivalent power consumed by approximately 24,000 average UK households annually Gallery assistants carry The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011, by David Hockney David Hockney - The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 They also say the turbines are estimated to produce the equivalent power consumed by approximately 24,000 average UK households annually. Ridge Clean Energy goes on to claim the erection would be a 'significant contribution' to the country's green energy requirements. The proposal is one of the biggest in the UK since the removal of the ban on onshore wind farming in 2024 with the aim of doubling onshore wind energy by 2030. But locals say the turbines will tower over the Woldgate landscape Hockney once took inspiration from. Retired art teacher Nancy Millar, 75, who lives in a nearby village of Carnaby said: 'I'm a huge champion of green energy and the fight against climate change. 'It's all a matter of placement and minimising negative impact. We all understand from its physical size and functionality the chosen location is always going to be rural, impact wildlife and alter the landscape forever. 'This site unfortunately pushes the impact to another level. 'The recent loss of David Hockney has made his depictions of the landscape under discussion even more irreplaceable. 'If the project goes ahead on this site it shows a huge lack of respect for national artistic heritage, let's face it, there are other fields that haven't been painted by one of the most iconic artists in modern history. 'The battle against climate change doesn't have to be a war on culture.' Hockney created several pieces in the area most notably a six-month project titled 'The Arrival of Spring' he painted on his iPad from January 1 to early June 2011. In an attempt to soften the blow Ridge Clean Energy has offered a 'community benefit fund' of around £126,000 a year - which is worth over £5 million throughout the 40 years it will be operational. The money will be used to help fund community led initiatives, according to the website. Rob Booth, 58, a Rudston resident and member of campaign group Keep Wind Off Woldgate, said: 'Residents are absolutely appalled that the developer has said these turbines can be 'accommodated within the host landscape' and would not result in significant adverse effects, when East Riding Council's own pre-application assessment concluded precisely the opposite. 'The council planners described this part of the Yorkshire Wolds as a "highly sensitive area" and found that the wind farm would cause "harm to the landscape, heritage assets and living conditions". 'It went on to state that those harms would "significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits". 'We will continue to fight these plans and encourage everyone who values this unique destination to submit their objections.' Ridge Clean Energy said it would combine the turbines with the already approved solar energy farm which will 'offset emissions' and 'contribute to the national legislation of net zero emissions by 2050'. East Riding County Council approved the 161 acre solar farm in Spring 2024. Richard Barker, project manager of the proposed Three Oaks Renewable Energy Park Extension, said: 'The noise report demonstrates that the wind turbines would meet the strict guidelines established by the UK Government. 'Whilst recognising there could be localised landscape and visual impacts, as is the nature of onshore wind in the countryside, it is important to consider these in the context of delivering much needed renewable energy.' If the plans are agreed work can begin in early 2028, with construction time expected to take around eight months. In 2011, more than 1,000 people signed a petition calling for the Yorkshire Wolds to be granted special protection status amid plans for wind turbines. The area is still yet to receive Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status. Hockney died peacefully at his home in London on June 11, according to his representatives.