July 29, 2008
England

Homes near wind turbines may get council tax cut

A tribunal decision has opened the way for people who live near wind turbines to try to claim a council tax discount.

Plans for Newlands Windfarm, on the edge of Cumwhinton, near Carlisle, is going through a consultation process, and local residents fear that their homes will be practically worthless if it is allowed.

Alison Stamper’s home is around 450 metres from the planned site – less than half the distance at which Mrs Davis had problems.

She said: “People won’t be able to sell their houses.

“There are a number on sale round the village, but people are taking them off the market – people can’t sell them because of the turbines.

“People’s only equity is their home, and everybody is going to be affected.”

She estimated that there were around 200 people in the village whose houses would be within a mile of a turbine, and whose properties would become un-sellable as a result.

Another nine turbines are planned for Berrier, on the edge of the Lake District National Park near Penrith.

Marjorie Emery has been campaigning against the Berrier turbines, and said that she felt that they would impact on the 14 properties in a 1,000-yard radius of the site.

She said: “Would any sane person want to buy a house where you have turbines the size of Big Ben outside your door?

“It seems like in worrying about house prices we are worried about material stuff, but it is important, as it’s something we have worked hard for.”

Spokesmen for Eden Council and Carlisle City Council said they were not responsible for valuations, but they would most likely still be made on a case-by-case basis.

The Newlands Windfarm is planned for near the Golden Fleece Services on junction 42 of the M6 near Carlisle.

Jane Davis and her husband live in houses underneath windfarms in Deeping St Nicholas, Lincolnshire, with Mr Davis’ parents next door.

Their council tax band was changed from B to A by the tribunal, who ruled that had the turbines been in place in 1991, when the tax band was set, the house would not have been worth the £40,000 required to make it band B.

The turbines were said to have a ‘significant detrimental effect’ on the ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the two properties.

But Mike Corker, of Bolderstone, the company behind the Newlands development, said that the low-frequency noise which made a difference was found coming from only five out of 126 windfarms tested, and that even if there was noise at Newlands, it would be no greater than that from the M6.

By Thom Kennedy

News & Star

29 July 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/07/29/homes-near-wind-turbines-may-get-council-tax-cut/