February 10, 2011
England

Residents’ joy as fight against wind farm plans is won … again

Scunthorpe Telegraph, www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk 10 February 2011

Jubilant protestors were celebrating last night as plans for a six-turbine wind farm were refused by councillors.

About 200 Burton residents packed into Pittwood House for yesterday’s planning committee meeting and heard plans for The Grange Wind Farm project thrown out by North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee.

The proposed site at Flixborough Grange, near Burton-Upon-Stather, had already been subjected to two previous rejected applications, one of which was also turned down by a Government planning inspector after a public inquiry.

After the meeting, Steve Fuller, of Burton Against Turbines, said: “The strength of feeling is tremendous.

“Planning is always a local issue and people made their feelings known.

“We will continue to defend ourselves and defend the community that we represent.”

The latest decision came after more than 400 letters of objection were received by the council, with just five letters in speaking out in support of the scheme.

Burton and Winterton ward councillor Bernard Regan told the meeting: “I am astonished we are even looking at this again, as we have proven twice that this is not a good thing for the community or for North Lincolnshire.

“It calls into question the whole issue of democracy where planning is concerned.

“The developer can come back time and time again and chip away at the objections, but there is no such redress on the part of the objectors.”

Councillor Regan argued the potential loss of visual amenity associated with the development would not be outweighed by its benefits in terms of generating electricity.

The Burton Against Turbines protest group was also represented at the meeting, with speakers on the health risks, loss of visual amenity and the noise pollution they believe would have come from the wind farm.

But speaking in support of the plans, Ben Moore, of developers RidgeWind, said the company’s nearby Bagmoor wind farm had already provided several benefits for residents of Dragonby.

Mr Moore also said the firm had come to an agreement with a family who last year’s public inquiry found would have suffered a detrimental effect on their health and wellbeing if the turbines at Flixborough Grange were built.

RidgeWind director Nigel Goodhew said the company would consider its next move when the council’s reasons for refusal are announced.

He said: “We are obviously very disappointed.

“We have worked hard to address the reason for refusal from the inquiry and we are considering our options.”

Exact reasons for council’s refusal were deferred until a later date.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/02/10/residents-joy-as-fight-against-wind-farm-plans-is-won-again/