February 14, 2012
England

Rallying support to fight turbine plans

By Julian Whittle, News & Star, www.newsandstar.co.uk 14 February 2012

The campaign to prevent a 328ft wind turbine from being built near Cumwhinton will step up a gear when objectors meet tomorrow night.

A public meeting at Cumwhinton Village Hall, starting at 7.30pm, aims to rally support against Bolsterstone Innovative Energy’s plan for a turbine at Newlands Farm near the M6 junction 42.

Organiser Allison Stamper, who lives 460yds from the proposed turbine, said: “The idea is to keep everybody informed and to mobilise support. We want everyone to be aware of the process.

“We will require some fundraising and that will be discussed.”

Carlisle MP John Stevenson, who backs the objectors, is unable to attend but is sending a representative.

Carlisle city councillors refused planning permission in November on the grounds that the turbine would be too close to Cringles Farm and Beech Cottage.

Bolsterstone has appealed, triggering a planning inquiry to be held at Carlisle Civic Centre.

It is due to start on May 29 and is expected to last three days.

The company originally wanted to build three turbines at Newlands Farm.

That scheme was thrown out in 2010, following a planning inquiry, prompting Bolsterstone to table two more applications – one for a single turbine, the other for two. Both brought more than 1,100 objections and were rejected.

Bolsterstone has appealed only against refusal of the single turbine.

A key plank of its case will be that council planning officers recommended the single turbine be allowed – they were over-ruled by councillors.

However, the objectors believe their argument has been strengthened by the council’s decision in December to allow planning consent for 14 homes on land next to Beech Cottage.

This would increase eight-fold the number of properties in close proximity to the turbine.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/14/rallying-support-to-fight-turbine-plans/