Turbines ruling delights villagers
Campaigners against controversial plans for a wind farm are jubilant after energy giant npower renewables was asked to withdraw its planning application.
The proposal to build eight turbines at Cotton Farm, near Graveley, has been met with fierce opposition since it was submitted in July last year.
Residents fear a wind farm on the site of the former wartime airfield would give rise to noise pollution and have a negative visual impact on the area.
In a letter sent to npower renewables last month Steve Ingram, Huntingdonshire District Council’s head of planning services, said the planning application is “unacceptable” by virtue of the number, position and size of the turbines proposed.
He said he could not, on these grounds, recommend approval.
However, Mr Ingram added: “I consider there is scope in this area for a smaller scale group of appropriately located and designed turbines.” He suggested the energy firm come up with an alternative scheme.
In November last year South Cambridgeshire District Council, which was invited to comment on the bid, recommended the plans for rejection claiming the turbines would “dominate” and “overwhelm” the landscape. Graveley, Great Paxton, the Offords, Toseland and Yelling parish councils have also called for the plans to be rejected.
The green energy source could produce enough electricity to supply the average needs of about 6,900 to 10,000 homes. However, campaigners argue the nearest houses would be less than 1km away and the turbines would stand at 417 ft — twice as tall as Ely Cathedral.
Bev Gray, chairman of Cotton Farm Action Group, which opposes the plans, said: “We understand that our campaign is not over as npower may well submit a revised planning application, but we are delighted that Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) has recognised the unacceptable impact of the proposed wind power station on neighbouring villages.
“HDC also shares the view of English Heritage and Cotton Farm Action Group that there would be a severe detrimental impact on the setting of the listed Toseland Hall from 127m high wind turbines at Cotton Farm.”
Cath Stevenson, development manager at npower renewables, said: “The letter refers to the council’s adopted supplementary planning document on wind power which identifies the South East Claylands Landscape Character Area — where Cotton Wind Farm would be located — as having a high capacity for a small scale group of up to 12 turbines. We will be considering the comments received from Huntingdonshire District Council and will respond once we have had the opportunity to fully consider the details.”
5 January 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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