November 7, 2007
England

Wind turbine plans thrown out

Controversial plans for a weather-testing mast in Essington which could have led to a 119-metre wind turbine dominating the skyline have been thrown out amid claims it would distract drivers on the M54 and M6.

Around 40 members of South Staffordshire District Council’s regulatory committee last night voted unanimously against the proposals by Essington company Ibstock Bricks. The firm wanted to build a 40-metre temporary structure at its quarry in Warstone Road.

It would have been used to measure wind flow for 18 months to see if the site in the village was suitable for a multi-million pound turbine.

The committee was instructed to consider the plans only on the basis of the weather-testing mast and not the eventual wind turbine, which would have been put forward at a later date.

But Councillor Patricia Griffin, chairing the meeting, said she felt the issue could not be discussed properly without considering the wind turbine.

She said: “This will be a distraction to drivers on the M6 and M54 at Junctions 10 and 10A, which are already accident blackspots.”

Express & Star

7 November 2007


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/11/07/wind-turbine-plans-thrown-out-2/