June 6, 2011
England

Anger over windfarm planning bid

Thorne and District Gazette, www.thornegazette.co.uk 6 June 2011

A controversial windfarm near Thorne could be operated for longer under plans that have been announced.

Doncaster Council has been asked to lift restrictions on when the Tween Bridge site can be used.

Original rules stipulated that the turbines could not operate during low winds.

Doncaster Council’s planning committee is set to discuss the bid which is being proposed because the operator is planning to change the turbines for a different model, believed to be quieter.

The original condition was to ensure the farm accessed from Church Balk did not operate in low wind when noise from the turbines would likely to be louder than noise from the wind.

Residents originally campaigned against the creation of 22 turbines that were 125 metres tall taking their fight all the way to a public inquiry.

Thorne councillor Martin Williams has told planning officials he is concerned that the application does not go along with the decision made by an inspector at the public inquiry into the wind farm.

Coun Williams said residents should be protected from noise levels resulting from wind speeds below four metres per second.

There have been 26 letters of objection to the new plans, including one from the Thorne and District Wind Farm Advisory Group.

Objectors have suggested a trial period to assess the impact of the new turbines.

Thorne and Moorends Town Council has also objected to the extension.

Planning officers are recommending the change is approved, but they have suggested two turbines close to houses are switched off at speeds under seven metres per second.

A report by Roy Sykes says: “A change in the type of wind turbine and a greater knowledge of the levels of noise from wind farms has shown that operation of the turbines at wind speeds of less than four miles per second will not harm the amenity of nearby residents.”

The application will be discussed at a meeting of Doncaster Council’s planning committee which is due to sit at the Mansion House in Doncaster town centre at 2pm on Tuesday.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/06/06/anger-over-windfarm-planning-bid/