March 26, 2008
England
England
Controversial plans for Rotherham’s first wind farm could end up being referred to the Government.
Rotherham Council is due to consider an application to erect three 95m wind turbines at Loscar Farm, Harthill, tomorrow.
But the application will almost certainly be referred to the Department for Communities and Local Government for consideration before a final decision is taken.
The department will be asked if it plans to intervene in the planning procedure on the grounds the wind farm is innopropriate in the Green Belt. If it doesn’t, councillors could agree the scheme.
Campaigners are hoping the council’s planning board will reject the scheme and have submitted hundreds of pages of objections.
They claim the
turbines will be an eyesore and could create a noise and health nuisance.
Planning officers say the benefits of the wind farm, such as cheap power for more than 2,000 households and no harmful emissions compared with power stations, must be weighed up against disadvantages.
A report by the officers says: “The benefits must be set against the siting of the turbines in the Green Belt and an Area of High Landscape Value, the effect on the environment, visual amenity, air safety, residential amenity, the landscape and biodiversity.”
Plans for the wind farm were first submitted three years ago, but were put on hold after the original applicant, npower Renewables, was taken over by Cornwall Light and Power.
By Ray Parkin
26 March 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/26/council-may-refer-wind-farm-plan-to-government/