Access road denial a blow to wind farm
Councillors have thrown a wind farm application into doubt after blocking permission for an access road to the site.
Newcastle Borough representatives are standing firm against the scheme, which would see seven 358ft wind turbines built on land at Bearstone, near the Staffordshire-Shropshire border. Members are also writing a strongly-worded letter opposing the controversial proposal.
Energy firm Nuon Renewables has applied to North Shropshire District Council for permission to build the wind farm at Poplar Lane, on the Shropshire side of the county border, arguing it would show a commitment to renewable energy.
But to gain access, consent for a track on the Staffordshire side was required. Last night Newcastle Borough Council refused to give the route planning permission.
The councillors went one step further and decided to submit their opposition to the whole scheme to neighbouring authority, North Shropshire District Council, which is due to consider the wind turbines plan on September 2.
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Robin Studd said: “These turbine things are wretchedly noisy and we would be foolish not the think of the noise impact.
“We are not even sure which type of turbine will be used.
“We owe it to our residents to protect them from this sort of thing.”
Councillor Philip Maskery said: “While I am not against wind farms per se, I am very choosy about where we put them and this is an totally inappropriate place.”
Newcastle councillors have decided to strongly object to the proposal because of the detrimental impact on the landscape and on the historic village of Knighton, and because there is no appropriate access to the site.
They made sure of the last point by voting against the construction of an access route from the B5026, going against the advice from their own officers and the Highways Agency.
The 15m wide track was meant to follow a row of hedges and trees, making it possible for the turbines to be brought onto the site, and for the construction and maintenance traffic to follow.
But councillors decided highway safety would be sacrificed and the track would harm the landscape.
Opposition group Veto On Rural Turbine Expansion (Vortex) fought against the track and will continue their campaign against the wind turbines.
Co-ordinator Terry May said: “More than 2,300 letters of objection have been written against these proposals and we are now asking for our democratic voice to be heard.”
20 August 2008
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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