Windmills lower valuation landscape especially in North and West Netherlands

AMSTERDAM – Windmills decrease mainly in the west and north of the country, the appreciation of the landscape.

According to a report by the Environmental Data Compendium.

In Flevoland, the low part of the northern Netherlands, the head of North Holland and Zeeland there are many wind turbines visible.  One of the reasons is that there are many wind turbines, but also because the landscape is flat and open.

In total wind turbines affect one-fifth of the Dutch landscape.

Size of the area

The size of the area in which they are visible, the past few decades has increased, but still could not be measured because the available data is insufficient and unreliable. 

Industrial elements such as wind turbines, pylons, infrastructure and large buildings are useful for the economy, but generally have a negative impact on the valuation of the landscape by civilians.

Appreciation for landscape

In previous research would have shown that 35 percent decrease wind turbines 500 meters from the appreciation of a landscape. 2.5 km away, this percentage dropped to 25 percent.

Also other high structures such as power lines and tall buildings are visible from a great distance, but the effect on landscape appreciation is less well known.

Read the full report here