January 31, 2007
U.K.
U.K.
Windfarm bosses last night condemned a North-East council for delaying a ruling over plans for new turbines in Northumberland.
A decision was due next on Tuesday over the bid by Your Energy Ltd for 10 turbines at Moorsyde, near the villages of Ancroft and Lowick – more than two years after the firm applied for planning permission.
But bosses at Your Energy yesterday said they were baffled by the delay, which Berwick Borough Council says is because it needs to consider the cumulative impact of a number of similar applications for the area.
Three separate windfarms, totaling 26 turbines, are being considered within a few miles of each other – at Moorsyde, Toft Hill and Barmoor.
Campaigners from the Moorsyde Action Group, set up to fight the plans, yesterday urged planners to make their minds up, saying that the company, not council tax payers, should be carrying out studies, after consultants for the authority drew up three separate reports.
Richard Mardon, managing director of Your Energy Ltd, said: “We are deeply disappointed and baffled by this further delay and still trying to investigate the reasons behind it.
“Three consultants have already been hired by the council to review our project, at a cost to the council tax payer.
“Cumulative impact has never applied to our project because ours was the first proposal in the area.
“During its excessively long time in the planning system subsequent projects have been submitted. This delay really makes no sense at all.”
A decision on the Moorsyde plans has already been put back three times.
The council said it did not know when the windfarm would be considered.
A spokesman said: “It is the advice of counsel that further work needs to be carried out before a decision can be made on the application.
“We have therefore taken the decision to defer the application whilst this work takes place. The additional information should provide more detailed evidence on which a robust decision can be made. This must be in the best interests of all concerned.”
By Paul James, The Journal
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/01/31/turbine-delay-is-slated/