Urgent requests from Richard Heaslip, Chair of Trustees, Dorset CPRE 

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WEST DORSET WIND FARM PLANNING APPLICATION WD/D/14/000885

20 June 2014

Planning permission is being sought for what would be Dorset’s largest wind farm. Proposed for a site in West Dorset, in open unspoilt countryside just north of Tolpuddle, it would comprise five 115 metre (377 feet) high industrial-scale turbines. Last time I wrote to you and asked for your support the response was over 1,000 objections – this was instrumental in forcing the developer to withdraw its proposal for a nine-turbine wind farm. But it has come back with a proposal that remains totally unacceptable – with 5 turbines it would still be the biggest wind farm in Dorset. To defeat this we have to fight even harder. Our aim is to exceed 2,000 objections. Your objection is essential – without it we will not succeed.

Dorset CPRE is in favour of renewable energy – provided it is not unacceptably damaging to the landscape, to heritage assets or to the amenity of local people. We believe that this application does not meet these requirements.

The scheme has met with strong opposition from local communities who have formed the Tolpuddle Against Industrial Turbines (TAINT) action group to fight the proposal based on concerns for landscape, settings of listed buildings, the industrialisation of Hardy Country, wildlife and noise.

TAINT chairman Richard Slocock has said “As communities we are furious. We do not want them. We have already employed professionals to look at the application. They will be going through it and contesting it point by point.”

Dorset CPRE is backing TAINT but we need to encourage wider involvement from you and, just as importantly, your friends, neighbours and relatives. With, but only with your help can we reach over 2,000 objections.

Amongst the reasons for objection are the following:

• The size, scale and industrial nature of the proposed development would give rise to adverse visual impact from viewpoints both inside and outside the Dorset AONB.
• It would have adverse impacts on the small-scale, high value landscape of the area, both inside and outside the Dorset AONB.
• Social amenity would be adversely affected through reduced enjoyment of footpaths and bridleways.
• The settings and visual appreciation of heritage assets would be adversely affected. The Tolpuddle Conservation Area and listed Athelhampton House & Gardens are just two.
• The development site is located in an area known worldwide as Hardy Country. Such a large alien structure close to its centre would have an adverse impact on tourism.
• Five large turbines in such close proximity to each other are likely to give rise to significant numbers of fatal, serious and slight injuries to birds and bats.
• Adverse cumulative impacts are likely to arise as a result of the nearby approved or proposed Roger’s Hill, Alaska, Slyer’s Lane and Blandford Hill wind turbines.

PLEASE SEND, in support of the local residents and our landscape, a letter of OBJECTION to the Planning Application – either online, by email or by post.

If you decide to object, the greatest impact can be obtained by:

1. Stating that you OBJECT to the proposal and providing a valid planning reason, such as one selected from the above. Reasons related to, for example, subsidies, the intermittent nature of wind turbines and potential impact on property values are not valid in this context.
2. Making sure that only ONE PERSON signs an objection.

   If more than one objector uses the same email address, send a SEPARATE EMAIL for each objector to the Case Officer, David Hodges: d.hodges@westdorset-weymouth.gov.uk. Make sure you provide a NAME and ADDRESS including a POSTCODE and quote the reference number WD/D/14/000885.

   Similarly, if you are responding by Royal Mail, make sure each objector signs a SEPARATE LETTER. It is NOT necessary to put each objection into a separate envelope. The letter can be handwritten or typed or a proforma. They all have the same status. If a proforma, we strongly encourage you to add a handwritten comment in order to personalise the letter (for example, suggest noise and loss of tranquillity may be problems too). All you need do is PRINT your name and address at the top – don’t forget the postcode – and SIGN AT THE BOTTOM. At least two proforma objections are enclosed with this letter. Please copy more for your friends, neighbours and relatives – past experience shows this would more than double the number of objections achieved.

Please return letters … and we will forward them to West Dorset District Council.

The deadline is 4 July 2014. [However it is likely the case officer will accept objections for some weeks afterwards.]

You can read more about the application online, including details of how to make a submission electronically, using this short link:

http://tinyurl.com/nutouxa

BLANDFORD HILL WIND FARM PLANNING APPLICATION 2/2014/0768/PAEIA

July 2014

Planning permission is being sought for what would be Dorset’s third largest wind farm. The proposed site is in open unspoilt countryside, just east of Winterborne Whitechurch in North Dorset; it would comprise four 125 metre high industrial-scale turbines. These would be higher than Salisbury Cathedral spire. When I wrote to you earlier this summer and asked for your support to stop the West Dorset Wind Farm, which is just over three miles away, the response was well over 1,000 objections and we hope this will have a significant impact on the planning outcome. We want to achieve the same impact here. Your objection is essential – without it we will not succeed in stopping this harmful proposal.

Dorset CPRE is in favour of renewable energy – provided it is not unacceptably damaging to the landscape, to heritage assets or to the amenity of local people. We believe that this application is hugely damaging.

The scheme has met with strong opposition from local communities who have formed the DART Winterborne Whitechurch action group to fight it based on concerns for landscape, social amenity, archaeology, heritage and noise. DART (WW) chairman Julien Turner has said “Once again, a vulnerable Dorset Community is being held to ransom by inappropriately sited industrial development. Many local people have signed up to our data base to object strongly due to the detrimental effects on the countryside.”

Dorset CPRE is backing DART (WW) but we need you to get involved and write opposing the proposed development and, just as importantly, your friends, neighbours and relatives also. With, and only with your help, can we achieve over 1,000 objections.

Amongst the reasons for objection are the following:

• The size, scale and industrial nature of the proposed development which would cause an adverse visual impact on the small-scale, high value landscape of the area and from viewpoints, both inside and outside the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
• Adverse cumulative impacts are likely to arise as a result of the proximity of other approved or proposed turbines at the Roger’s Hill, Alaska, Slyer’s Lane and West Dorset wind farms.
• Social amenity would be adversely affected through reduced enjoyment of the footpath running through the site and others nearby.
• The settings and visual appreciation of heritage assets would be adversely affected. The Winterborne Whitechurch Conservation Area and Grade 1 listed church are just two, but there are seven other Grade 1 listed buildings within three miles.
• The wind farm construction could have an adverse impact on likely archaeological remains at the site, suggested by recent excavations at the adjacent North West
  Farm, particularly the rare discovery of human remains linked to the Roman Villa there.
• The proximity of numerous dwellings and the East Down Egg Packing Station could be a cause for concern regarding noise.

PLEASE SEND a letter of OBJECTION to the Planning Application, in support of the local residents and our landscape, – either online, by email or by post.

ONLINE: Go to http://plansearch.north-dorset.gov.uk/online-applications/ where you will be asked to input the application number 2/2014/0768/PAEIA. You will then be asked to register, if you have not previously done so, before leaving a comment.

EMAIL: You can email the Case Officer, Stephen Clark at devcontrol@north- dorset.gov.uk. Please quote the application number, and provide name and address including a postcode.

ROYAL MAIL: The letter can be handwritten or typed or a proforma. They all have the same status. If a proforma, we strongly encourage you to add a handwritten comment in order to personalise the letter (for example, suggest injury and death to birds may be a problem too). All you need do is PRINT your name and address at the top – don’t forget the postcode – and SIGN AT THE BOTTOM. At least two proforma objections are enclosed with this letter. Please copy more for your friends, neighbours and relatives – past experience shows this would more than double the number of objections achieved. Please return letters i…d and we will forward them to North Dorset District Council.

The greatest impact can be obtained by:

1. Stating that you OBJECT to the proposal and providing a valid planning reason, such as one selected from the above. Reasons related to, for example, subsidies, the intermittent nature of wind turbines and potential impact on property values are not valid in this context.
2. Making sure that only ONE PERSON signs an objection. If responding by Royal Mail, make sure each objector signs a SEPARATE LETTER. It is NOT necessary to put each objection into a separate envelope. If by email please send a separate email for each objector.

The deadline for writing is 15th August 2014. However it is likely the case officer will accept objections for some weeks afterwards.

Thank you in advance for supporting this campaign.

Yours sincerely,
~~~
Richard Heaslip
Chair of Trustees
Dorset CPRE