Tolkien landscape spared wind farm turbines by planners
A stretch of landscape said to have inspired the father of modern fantasy literature has been saved by planners who turned down an application for three giant wind turbines.
Energy giant E.ON is considering an appeal after plans for the cluster of turbines in the Holderness village of Roos were rejected by councillors after a narrow vote.
The meeting heard that JRR Tolkien was stationed at the Humber Garrison during the First World War a mile from Roos and there was concern the turbines would destroy the place for fans who visit the area.
The Tolkien Society records that he and his wife Edith went walking in woods at Roos, and “there, in a grove thick with hemlocks, Edith danced for him.”
The moment is said to have inspired the tale of Beren and Lúthien, a recurrent theme in his invented mythological world.
Objectors argued the scheme would have a massive visual impact on the Holderness countryside, characterised by open expanses and skies, and that it was too close to a holiday park and shadow flicker from the turbines, 111m high from base to tip of the blade, would fall directly into living space, fishing ponds and holiday cabins.
Coun John Whittle said it was obviously an emotional subject – but didn’t think it would turn out to be the wastelands of Mordor.
The council’s head of planning and development control, Philip Parker, said in the officers’ view the application had the least environmental impact out of three windfarm proposals for the area and gave the council “some ammunition” to resist others in the locality.
However when it came to a vote it was very close, tying seven all before chairman Coun Charles Hunter, who represents South East Holderness, used his casting vote and went for refusal.
Later the committee said they wouldn’t object – the Government makes the final decision – to a far larger scheme for an offshore windfarm, called Humber Gateway, extending over a 35 sq km area east of Spurn Point and Easington, which will be visible most of the length of Bridlington Bay.
The 300 MW farm could have as many as 83 turbines but won’t come online until 2014.
By Alexandra Wood
29 August 2008
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