December 20, 2010
England

Protesters lose planning fight over wind farm

Jack Grove, Cambridge News, www.cambridge-news.co.uk 20 December 2010

A wind farm near Huntingdon has been given the go-ahead by a planning inspector.

Eight 127m-high wind turbines will be built at Cotton Farm, between Huntingdon and St Neots. It follows a three-week public inquiry in Huntingdon in May concerning the proposed turbines between Graveley, Toseland, Great Paxton and Offord Darcy. But campaigners have vowed to continue their fight against the turbines, which they claim will blight the countryside.

Bev Gray, chairman of Cotton Farm Action Group, said: “We are not only disappointed by this decision, we are angry and puzzled about how it could have been made.

“We cannot understand the way the inspector has worded his decision. He has not listened to our arguments at all. “We will be looking at this report and will consider a judicial review. ”

The visual impact of these turbines will be enormous. Within two kilometres, there are 1,000 homes, and within three kilometres, there are 7,000 to 8,000 homes.” Mr Gray said the turbines, which will be twice the height of Ely Cathedral’s tower, could be the first of many wind farms planned for Huntingdonshire.

He said: “There are another four wind turbines planned for this area – Molesworth, Grafham Water, Wooley Hill, near Huntingdon, and one near Kimbolton.

“Huntingdonshire District Council needs to amend its rules to stop these going ahead. “Its specialist wind farm document should offer protection for residents. Instead, it acts an incentive to build wind farms.”

Melissa Read, planning specialist for RWE npower renewables, welcomed the inspector’s decision. She said: “Wind farms are essential to cutting UK carbon emissions and, once constructed, Cotton Wind Farm will make a substantial contribution towards renewable electricity generation – powering the equivalent of between 6,900 and 10,000 homes with clean energy.

“We will of course continue to work with the local community to keep them informed throughout the next stages of development and as the wind farm is constructed.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/12/20/protesters-lose-planning-fight-over-wind-farm/