November 4, 2011
England

Victory in fight against turbine at heart of Wolds

Hull Daily Mail, www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk 4 November 2011

Campaigners are celebrating victory in their fight against a wind turbine in the East Yorkshire countryside.

The 220ft turbine near Middleton-on-the-Wolds would have had a serious impact on the Wolds landscape.

It would have been at the heart of an area that has inspired the likes of David Hockney and become a Mecca for other artists.

There was loud applause when East Riding Council’s planning committee narrowly voted against the proposal at County Hall, Beverley, yesterday.

Campaigner David Hinde, who spoke against the turbine, said: “We are relieved and delighted that the majority of the councillors supported us.

“If they had gone with their own planning officers, who recommended approval, they would not have been upholding their own landscape policies.”

Mr Hinde, of the No To The Wolds Wind Farm Group, said: “There would have been no community benefit from such a big turbine and it would have set a damaging planning precedent.”

Farmer William Bradley, of Horsewold Farm, Market Weighton Road, Middleton-on- the-Wolds, wanted planning permission for the turbine to power his business.

Mr Bradley and his agent Tom Mason, who spoke in favour of the development, said they would be appealing against the council’s decision.

Councillor Philip Davison said anyone who cared about the beautiful Wolds scenery should not be supporting the planning application.

He said: “The turbine would be in a very prominent position on the Wolds, which have a very high landscape value.

“What we have here is beautiful rolling Wolds countryside and the proposal would have had a bad impact on the area.”

Councillor Tony Galbraith agreed it was a lovely landscape, but said the council knew from bitter experience planning inspectors overturned wind turbine refusal decisions on appeal.

He said: “I visit most beautiful parts of the country, such as Snowdonia and the Lake District, where wind turbines can be seen on farms.

“The Government is so wedded to its renewable energy campaign that there have to be very good reasons for refusing a scheme.”

Steve Hey, chairman of No To The Wolds Wind Farm Group, said: “The time has now come for East Riding Council to declare the Wolds an area of outstanding natural beauty, which it rightly deserves.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/11/04/victory-in-fight-against-turbine-at-heart-of-wolds/