E.on rapped over misleading adverts for Berwick windfarm

Jul 29 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

In upholding the complaints, the ASA found both images were likely to mislead and breached its code’s truthfulness clause.

On the second, it ruled the photomontage was “not sufficiently representative of the likely visual impact” on communities closer to the scheme and found there had also been a breach of the code’s substantiation clause.

The authority has ordered E.ON not to use the adverts again in their current form.

The company has also been told to ensure generic wind farm images used in promotional material must be more representative of the development they are advertising.

Last night, Mr Wakeling, 65, who lives at Berrington Lough between Ancroft and Bowsden, said: “I am pleased the ASA has recognised the images used by E.ON were likely to mislead the public.”

A spokesman for E.ON, whose application is to be decided by Northumberland County Council, said: “This is the first time that we have been ruled against by the ASA on a wind farm advertisement. We had no intention to mislead people and were trying to represent how a generic wind farm would look.”

A third complaint by Mr Wakeling was not upheld.