Council gives go-ahead for weather mast  

Credit:  Derbyshire Times | www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk 19 July 2012 ~~

Plans to site a 50m meteorological mast on land between Clowne and Stanfree have been approved by Bolsover District Council’s planning committee.

The mast will be erected in open countryside to the south of Clowne, between Mansfield Road and Stanfree, and will be used to collect baseline data that will contribute to the assessment of the location as a potential site for wind energy development.

Objectors to the proposal spoke at committee and highlighted the effect this would have on local residents, the visibility of the mast from certain properties and that this would be a pre-cursor for a wind farm development.

Planning Committee members had visited the site and nearby houses to assess possible impacts before coming to their decision, but stated that they could only deal with the application in front of them and not anything that could be perceived as an application in the future.

Whilst making the decision, the Committee were mindful of local residents concerns but had to adhere to the National Planning Policy Framework which seeks to encourage wind farm developments which would include the provision of temporary anemometer or meteorological masts as part of the assessment of the site.

The mast which is made of galvanised steel and is 165mm in diameter will be supported by 6 guy wires anchored 15m and 30m from the pole. The erection of the mast must start within 3 years and be taken down within 12-months of its erection.

The final decision was approved on July 18.