December 9, 2006
U.K.
U.K.
Campaigners are “over the moon” after winning their battle against a massive windfarm.
Cambridge Wind Farm Ltd wanted to build 15, 100-metre high wind turbines between Boxworth and Conington, alongside the A14.
When South Cambridgeshire District Council rejected the application, the company appealed against the decision, and a planning inquiry opened in October.
Now a Government inspector has returned a verdict – and has dismissed the appeal.
Mike Barnard of Stop Cambridge Wind Farm Action Group, which has 1,650 members, said he was “over the moon.”
He added: “It has been a two-and-a-half year battle and we are delighted and relieved the appeal has been dismissed.
“We were fairly confident we would win, but you never can be sure. Reason and logic have come through. It would have been a very big wind farm and it would have been hugely dominating. To have 15 huge rotating wind turbines right next to the A14 would have been ridiculous. The Highways Agency objected to it as well. And they never proved it wasn’t going to cause noise problems to local residents.
“It was going to blight thousands of people’s lives. We hope this is the end of it.”
South Cambridgeshire MP Andrew Lansley, right, who opposed the plans, said: “I’m very pleased. I think it is the right decision. As an area, Cambridgeshire is having to accept a huge amount of development as it is.
“This would have been in open countryside and the wind farm would have been right at the point where it would have impacted over substantial distances, across the Fens towards Swavesey and beyond.
“I think what’s compelling in this case is there were so many reasons to say no. It all points to this being the wrong location.
“But I am very keen we as a country explore realistic options for renewable energy, for example offshore turbines in the North Sea.”
A spokeswoman for South Cambridgeshire District Council welcomed the result.
She said: “The inspector has accepted the wind farm would have dominated the area’s character, appearance and landscape to such an extent it would have outweighed the benefit of the contribution to regional renewable energy targets.”
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/12/09/celebration-as-inspector-halts-wind-farm-plan/