January 6, 2012
England

Village wind farm plans withdrawn

Evening Telegraph, www.northantset.co.uk 6 January 2012

Plans for two wind turbines on farm land in a village have been withdrawn.

An application to build two 250KW turbines at 233ft tall and ancillary buildings in a field off Hinwick Road, Wollaston, was submitted to Wellingborough Council at the end of last September.

There was much opposition to the scheme from people living in the village, and a Say No to Wollaston Wind Farm campaign group was formed in a bid to fight against the plans.

The campaigners then held a public meeting, where 74 people voted against the scheme, three said they were in favour and seven abstained.

And in a bid to demonstrate how high the proposed 71m wind turbines would reach, members of the anti-wind farm group flew a tethered blimp over the village.

The application was withdrawn this week.

The applicant, Chris Sumner, said: “Due to legal issues relating to a covenant on the land it has been decided that this application will be withdrawn with the option to resubmit once a resolution has been reached.”

Dr Mike Goldsmith, who is a member of Wollaston Parish Council, spoke against the plans at the public meeting.

He said: “I understand there are legal reasons for why this can’t go ahead to do with the covenant on the land.

“I think this is divine intervention. It would not have been right for the village. It would have been a blot on the landscape.

“It would not have been useful or anything good for the village.

“Covenants are important because they make sure that the land is for what it should be used for, and that is for farming.”

The county’s UKIP MEP Derek Clark, who had joined villagers in the fight against the wind farm plans, welcomed the news the scheme had been withdrawn.

Mr Clark, who also spoke out against the plans at the public meeting, said: “This is great news for the village.

“I’m pleased this wind farm plan will not go-ahead. These schemes are useless – I’m delighted it has been withdrawn.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/06/village-wind-farm-plans-withdrawn/