May 20, 2011
England

Controversial application for wind farm near Winterton is submitted

Scunthorpe Telegraph, www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk 20 May 2011

A controversial application to build four wind turbines has now been submitted.

Turbines up to 127 metres high could be put up on a landfill site near Winterton, under plans lodged by the Waste Recycling Group (WRG).

But campaigners have vowed to do all they can to make sure the proposals do not get accepted.

Members of the Winterton Against Inappropriate Turbines (Wait) group say they have serious reservations about the turbines – which developers say would be capable of generating enough electricity to power up to 5,700 homes.

Lea Favill, a member of Wait, is one of many residents now ready to form a formal objection to the Ironstone Quarry Wind Energy Project.

He said: “There has been a dramatic increase in support for Wait and now, with the application through to North Lincolnshire Council, we will gather considerable momentum to oppose it.

“We will be holding another meeting this month for all supporters of the Wait group, where we will go through and scrutinise the application.”

The proposed site would be even taller than the 125-metre towers at the Bagmoor site.

The turbines would have an operational lifetime of about 25 years, after which time they would be removed.

And the firm says rigorous checks have shown there will be no harmful impact on the environment. But concerns remain.

Nick Burton, who has lived in Winterton for more than 40 years and is a spokesman for Wait, said: “Wait is certainly not against wind turbines and renewable energy, but merely supports the sensible siting of these developments in places where they will not cause an impact to the public’s quality of life.”

WRG bosses have put forward the planning application with a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the site’s suitability for a wind energy project.

The EIA examined the potential effects during construction, operation and decommissioning of the turbines. These included visual impact, access and transport infrastructure, noise, available wind resource and potential effects on local flora and fauna, including birds and bats.

Mike Snell, head of WRG external affairs, said: “After 20 months of comprehensive environmental assessment, WRG is delighted to be submitting this planning application for the Ironstone Quarry Wind Energy Project.

“The studies that were undertaken as part of the environmental assessment demonstrate that the proposed project will not result in any unacceptable impacts on the local environment.

“As a company, we are committed to helping the UK reduce its carbon emissions and gain a safe, secure and sustainable supply of energy for everyone.”

The next Wait meeting will be on Tuesday, May 24, in the Old School Hall, Winterton, at 7.15pm.

The plans are likely to be discussed in October.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/05/20/controversial-application-for-wind-farm-near-winterton-is-submitted/