October 5, 2011
England

Surprise as windfarm appeal is withdrawn

Cornish Guardian, www.thisiscornwall.co.uk 5 October 2011

The company proposing a huge windfarm on Davidstow Moor has suddenly withdrawn its planning appeal, although local opponents fear they will come up with new plans.

Community Windpower Limited, based in Cheshire, was due to appeal against the decision by Cornwall Council in July 2010 to refuse its plans for 20 415-feet high turbines on a site at Davidstow Woods.

The appeal was due to begin in Camelford on November 22 and to last for three weeks.

However, Marcus Trinick, the former Truro solicitor who is now a partner with Eversheds LLP in Cardiff, has written to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol to withdraw the appeal.

“The decision has become necessary because of an issue relating to the availability of a member of the appellant’s inquiry team,” says Mr Trinick.

“That issue has already impacted on inquiry preparation and it is not now feasible to complete relevant and vital work before the date for submission of evidence.”

Future

Mr Trinick said there was just one option, and Community Windpower would be resubmitting a planning application for Davidstow Wind Farm soon.

The Cornish Guardian contacted Community Windpower on Monday, where spokesperson Gillian Cropper said they were considering another application.

She did not want to elaborate on what the size of that application would be, or what the position would be in regard to costs already incurred by Cornwall Council and the other organisations fighting the appeal.

Those against the development at Davidstow say that it will impact on the adjoining Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, stand higher than the impressive Roughtor and kill large numbers of starlings.

Jeremy Varcoe, who has been speaking on behalf of the collection of community organisations which make up the Stop Davidstow Windfarm Alliance, said they were not opposed to windfarms as such but believed this application was at the wrong place and at a scale which was inappropriate.

“Although the turbines are outside the AONB they will impinge on the landscape of the moor, they would be higher than the top of Roughtor and damage the setting of the internationally important Iron and Bronze Age settlement there,” said Mr Varcoe.

Surprise

“The alliance is pleased, though surprised, at the withdrawal of the appeal.

“We wanted to win by a knockout by succeeding in the appeal, but we are willing to continue the fight to protect the iconic landscape of Bodmin Moor for both everyone in Cornwall and for the many visitors who come to enjoy it.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/10/05/surprise-as-windfarm-appeal-is-withdrawn/