August 25, 2011
England

Objectors await ruling on wind turbine plans

West Briton, www.thisiscornwall.co.uk 25 August 2011

Cornwall council planners will meet next week to decide whether a wind turbine can be built at Longdowns.

The scheme, submitted by Alan Bostock of Polkanuggo Farm in Stithians, has attracted 58 letters of objection and a petition with 271 names.

Both Mabe and Stithians Parish Councils objected to the scheme, citing its impact on neighbours, as did the CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England).

Stithians council wrote a four-page letter stating: “We believe Cornwall Council would be failing in its duty of care to residents it if permits this development, knowing potential problems exist.”

These included possible health problems from the blade and turbine noise, it said.

Bill

Councillors and many residents also highlighted a Private Member’s Bill going through the parliamentary process regarding minimum distances from homes.

However, case officer Hollie Nicholls said as it was a draft Bill it carried no weight, and the proposal was considered to have an “acceptable design, form and siting with no significant detrimental impact”.

The application will go before the planning committee when it meets in Penzance next Wednesday at 5pm.

Mr Bostock has offered a community levy of £3,000 a year per megawatt for ten years and £8,000 a year for a further ten.

The turbine site is at the Longdowns end of the farm.

Resident Maurice Matthews said: “I’m concerned about the impact of such a very large turbine within 200m to 400m of dozens of residences.”

Rhiannon Fraser said: “I am not opposed to being more environmentally friendly (but) David Bellamy believes the making and transporting of turbines has greater damage on the environment than a turbine can generate back.”

Chris Paget said: “There is a massive community of people who will be dominated by a turbine they don’t want.”

Several residents said they were concerned at the impact on their horses, with Clive Chewidden saying that when a balloon was put up last year to show the height of the turbine his horses were disturbed.

“We fear that a huge rotating turbine would have a much greater effect, to the extent of no longer being able to keep them there,” he said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/08/25/objectors-await-ruling-on-wind-turbine-plans/