December 13, 2007
England
England
A contentious plan to build four towering wind turbines by a Norfolk coastal village has gone back to the drawing board to address strong fears over the impact of the structures on the countryside.
SLP Energy has withdrawn its application to build the 125m high turbines at Hemsby, near Yarmouth, because it says it needs more time to revise its scheme to overcome a swathe of objections from residents, councils, the Ministry of Defence(MOD) and countryside groups.
Concerns were raised that the turbines would loom over the village’s skyline and blight its appearance and be detrimental to a nearby Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Objections were also submitted by the MOD, which said the turbines would interfere with radar at RAF Trimingham and residents said they were worried the proposed site would hamper television signals.
The plans were due to be discussed by Yarmouth Borough Council this Tuesday and if they had not been withdrawn then planning officers would have recommended throwing out the scheme mainly because of the visual impact on the area.
Shirley Weymouth, borough councillor for Hemsby, said: “I am not against wind turbines but this application is just in the wrong area and would affect the rural landscape quite badly.
“I would prefer it if SLP built these massive turbines off shore.”
Bob Reynolds, chairman of Hemsby parish council, said that although some residents did not oppose the plans, he thought that most villagers would be pleased they had been withdrawn.
SLP, which operates the turbines at Ness Point, Lowestoft, said the masts at Ormesby Road would generate enough energy to power 5,500 homes and reduce carbon dioxide global warming gases by 22,600 tonnes a year.
Sophie Nioche, SLP’s project developer, said: “Any outstanding concerns will be addressed in a revised application, which we will be submitting at the earliest opportunity.
“We still believe that this is a robust project and want to take this opportunity to thank all the Hemsby wind farm supporters for their continued support.”
By Anthony Carroll
13 December 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/12/13/hemsby-wind-turbines-setback/