January 9, 2012
England

Fears voiced over plans at egg farm for a wind turbine

by JOHN CROSSLEY, Burton Mail, www.burtonmail.co.uk 9 January 2012

A veteran councillor fears plans for a pair of 147ft wind turbines near a South Derbyshire village would ruin the ‘ambience of the countryside’.

District Councillor John Lemmon said his email inbox over New Year was filled by residents worried about the proposed 50KW turbines south of Burnaston Lane, near Etwall.

John Bowler Eggs has applied to install the green energy project which could generate enough electricity to power 80 homes a year.

“It has created as much interest as when the Toyota planning application went in years ago,” councillor Lemmon told the Mail. “The amount of perceived problems across this rural area is quite significant and varied.

“The land is on a ridge between Etwall and Burnaston which has a historic walk way which has been used as a footpath. It has very wide views, especially to the north.

“The difficulty is the effect on the natural ambience of the countryside in order to try to meet a small percentage of a national Government target.”

Councillor Lemmon said he believed other implications could include background noise levels, and the impact on wildlife.

“I have full sympathy with the people who are objecting,” he added.

“There has to be a balance when we are looking at an area that is looking to tourism as one of its main sources of income.”

The company admitted in its application that it would not argue that the turbines ‘will not have an impact on the landscape.’ However, it said the development ‘would not result in unacceptable harm to the visual amenity of the wider area’ and that the effect was ‘offset by the wider economic and environmental benefit of renewable energy.’ The turbines would be located in a position which would not impact on residential amenity, the applicant added.

Etwall residents are expected to air their views at Etwall Parish Council’s January meeting tkaing place at 7.30pm tonight at Frank Wickham Hall.

There is also a special meeting of Burnaston Parish Council on Thursday at the village hall at 7.30pm.

A public consultation is open until January 25, and the application could be heard by the district council planning committee on February 7.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/09/fears-voiced-over-plans-at-egg-farm-for-a-wind-turbine/