Bruntál in Czechia rejects wind farm acceleration zones near the town

Bruntál town hall disagrees with the updated proposal for the location of so-called acceleration areas (AAs), which will enable wind farms to be built more quickly in the future. Bruntál, coordinating with several other affected municipalities, is objecting in particular to the possibility of wind farms being built at Jelení near Milotice nad Opavou and Liščí vrch near Horní Benešov. City spokesman Jiří Ondrášek told the Czech News Agency (ČTK) today.

"The city of Bruntál expresses its fundamental disagreement with the designation of the Jelení and Liščí vrch acceleration areas. These zones either directly encroach on our cadastral area or are located in its immediate vicinity, threatening the region’s unique landscape character and landmarks," Mayor Martin Henč (ANO) added.

Representatives of the city announced their opposition to the construction of wind turbines within Bruntál and its immediate surroundings a year ago. "This April, the Ministry for Regional Development published a map of acceleration areas. Although there are fewer of them across the Czech Republic than originally planned, they encroach significantly on the Bruntál region and partly on the cadastral area of the city itself," Ondrášek said.

In response to the state’s new proposal, Bruntál’s municipal government prepared a 20-page document detailing its arguments against locating wind turbines at Jelení and Liščí vrch. One of the city’s priorities in its strategic planning is to preserve the landscape character and protect the region’s key horizons and historic landmarks.

"We want to preserve unobstructed views of the surrounding area, which define the character of the city and its environs. These include in particular the panoramas of the Hrubý Jeseník mountains, Uhlířský vrch, and the peaks of Velký and Malý Roudný. The landscape, with open views towards the Jeseníky mountains and nearby extinct volcanoes, is not only a historically protected asset but also a popular destination for visitors," the spokesman said.

Deputy Mayor Petr Rys (Bruntál 2022) also opposes the construction. "Our position remains unchanged, and wind turbines would be entirely inappropriate, especially in the view from Bruntál towards the panorama of Velký kotel and Praděd," he said. In his view, the proposed wind farm construction would completely alter the character of the Nízký Jeseník landscape and the wider area around the Slezská Harta reservoir.

According to Ondrášek, the city leadership supports the development of energy based on renewable sources, including wind power. However, it stresses the need for a sensible and balanced approach, and considers the protection of the landscape and ecological stability networks a top priority. It also opposes the use of high-quality agricultural land or forest land. The city considers the proposed distribution of acceleration areas to be uneven.