Government considers turbine plan
The government will decide whether four large wind turbines can be built on the border of Herefordshire and Wales.
Herefordshire Council said it was minded to approve the plans for four 100m (328ft)-high turbines on Stonewall Hill and Reeves Hill, near Knighton.
But the Department of Communities and Local Government has asked to study the application.
More than 1,000 people, including the novellist Ian McEwan, have written to object to the proposal.
Mr McEwan said in a letter to the council he was a “passionate advocate of clean energy development” but was opposed to building the turbines in “an area of great and fragile beauty for a near negligible gain”.
‘Power 7,000 homes’
Other opponents have said the turbines would damage the appearance of the site, which is popular with walkers, and cause excessive noise for local residents.
Powys Council has written to Herefordshire Council urging it to recommend the plans.
Bolsterstone Plc, which submitted the application, said the turbines could generate enough energy from renewable sources to power the equivalent of up to 7,326 homes.
Herefordshire councillors decided to recommend approval for the plans at a meeting on Thursday morning, which was attended by about 150 protesters.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said the application would now be assessed.
If it is called in the secretary of state Hazel Blears will make the final decision.
Applications that are called in are those which are of regional or national, rather than purely local, significance, the spokeswoman added.
12 February 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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