Wind farm plan near Fakenham turned down  

Credit:  Adam Lazzari, Eastern Daily Press, www.edp24.co.uk 26 July 2011 ~~

Vehemently-opposed plans to build a wind farm near Fakenham have been refused.

Objections to the proposed Jack’s Lane Wind Farm at Barwick Hall Farm, Stanhoe had been made by parish councils, the RSPB, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, English Heritage, Norfolk Archaeology Trust, the Campaign to Protect Rural England and the Open Spaces Society.

A report prepared for Monday’s meeting of the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council’s development control board showed that 667 letters of objection had registered along with a petition containing 123 signatures but 732 letters of support had been received.

RES UK and Ireland Ltd was seeking permission to build six turbines, each with up to 126.5m maximum height to blade tip.

The company claimed these could generate enough clean energy for approximately 8,000 homes.

But councillors voted in line with the planning officer’s recommendation to refuse the proposal.

The officer’s report states: “This landscape is characterised by an open skyline, a strong sense of tranquillity as well as of rural isolation.

“The introduction of turbines, as dominant man made features, and in particular the movement associated with the blades will disrupt this character to the detriment of those living in the locality.”

Opponents also highlighted noise disturbance, the potential cumulative impact with two other wind farms proposed at nearby at Docking and Chiplow and fears that pink-footed geese could fly into the turbines.