January 10, 2012
England

Wind turbine plan to power ahead

Louise McEvoy, The Comet, www.thecomet.net 8 January 2012

A planning application for a wind turbine, withdrawn due to an objection by the Environment Agency (EA), is expected to be resubmitted shortly.

The plans for an 89m turbine and accompanying sub-station at Arlesey landfill site on Mill Lane were originally submitted to Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) by Waste Recycling Group (WRG) in August last year.

The proposal forms part of WRG’s review of more than 260 of its sites across the UK, in which it hopes to establish a number of locations for the development of wind energy projects.

The application for the Arlesey turbine, which is expected to produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 300 homes, was withdrawn towards the end of last year because of an objection from the EA.

The EA said the turbine “presents an unacceptable risk to the future operation of the permitted landfill site”.

A spokesman for the agency voiced concerns over “gas migration” and said: “The wind turbine will have a substantial earth system and is unlikely to be supported on the landfill and must not disturb the landfill gas and contaminated ground.”

Other objectors included Ickleford Parish Council and Arlesey Town Council, on the grounds that the turbine would cause noise pollution and have a negative impact on the landscape.

Last week, a spokesman for WRG told The Comet: “The application was withdrawn towards the end of last year while WRG answered a query on the application by a statutory consultee.

“This is now resolved and the application will be resubmitted shortly.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/10/wind-turbine-plan-to-power-ahead/