February 18, 2012
England

Developer withdraws wind turbines plan for Immingham

Grimsby Telegraph, www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk 18 February 2012

Residents are “over the moon” that a developer has withdrawn his application for two wind turbines near their homes.

Details of the plan for two 44.5-metre tall turbines on Manby Road, Immingham – which applicant Lee Dickinson has been working on for three years – behind Woodlands Avenue, shocked householders when they received notification from the planning authority just before Christmas.

As reported, more than 30 residents attended a town council meeting in January, some saying they “feared for their lives”, clutching newspaper clippings with stories about blades falling off and turbines exploding.

They also expressed concerns over the noise, vibrations, visual impact, decreased house prices and shadow flicker from the blades, which they claimed could cause cars to swerve off the road.

Immingham Town Council unanimously opposed the application and more than 100 people signed a petition set up by town councillor Stewart Swinburn. Mr Dickinson said the turbines would eventually power two steel fabrication workshops on the site and generate enough surplus electricity to power 100 homes, which would be put back into the National Grid.

He also claimed it would create up to 20 jobs and were on “industrial land overshadowed by oil refineries”.

However, residents nearby still opposed the proposal and this week, they received a letter informing them that Mr Dickinson had withdrawn his application.

Immingham Town Councillor Stewart Swinburn, who also lives on Woodlands Avenue, said: “I am over the moon about the result – it just goes to show what people can achieve if they are determined enough.

“These turbines were far too big for a residential area and the proposed site was right next to a petrol station – imagine the damage if there was an accident.

“There were so many objections that the developer has finally seen sense.”

Alan Bridge, 68, of Woodlands Avenue, has lived in his house for 24 years and was horrified when he discovered the plan to erect the turbines just 200 metres away from his back garden.

Mr Bridge said: “It is great news for everyone living nearby – it would be very overbearing in a residential area.

“Most of us who opposed it are not against wind turbines but this is not the right place for it.

“I hope it has been withdrawn because he realised it was wrong for the area, but there is a chance the developer could resubmit the plans at a later date.”

Mr Dickinson said: “With great regret we have temporarily withdrawn our application as the local authority have asked for further information. The scheme is very small in comparison to the schemes planned.

“A much-needed boost to the area has now been thwarted.

“Furthermore, competitive advantage has been eroded also.”

It is not clear if the application will be resubmitted at a later date.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/18/developer-withdraws-wind-turbines-plan-for-immingham/