April 9, 2008
England

Rotherham voters 'let down' by go-ahead for wind-farm

As someone who fought against the erection of three 95 metre high turbines at Loscar Farm, I must say that I am at a loss with the decision of the Rotherham Planning Committee to sanction the go-ahead.

What is the purpose of designating areas within Rotherham Borough as Green Belt, as Loscar Common is, if structures not associated with farming can be built on them?

What is the purpose of designating areas as Outstanding Natural Beauty, as Loscar Common is, if industrial structures can be built on them?

Rotherham Planning Committee members have let the people of Rotherham down by sanctioning the destruction of this unspoilt Green Belt so readily.

I was also surprised by the final planning application report submitted by Rotherham council. For a development of this magnitude I was expecting a 500 page document, instead we got a derisory 59 pages!

I am also not convinced that reports submitted by Harthill and Thorpe Salvin Action Groups to Rotherham Planning were actually read by the planning committee.

The planning committee is not capable of legislating over an issue such as this development if they have not read all the reports submitted by developers and protesters.

If they didn’t read the reports, how are they able to pass informed judgement on this or any other development within the borough?

At the final planning meeting, one councillor declared that they knew all about global warming because they lived at Catcliffe and had suffered as a result of recent floods! Does that qualify them as an expert on the subject?

Belief that the turbines will halt global warming is naive. They are built for the purpose of obtaining Government subsidies paid to developers.

Paul Rowland, Archeological Spokesperson, Harthill Action Group.

09 April 2008