June 15, 2012
England

Flamborough turbine plan recommended for refusal

Bridlington Free Press, www.bridlingtonfreepress.co.uk 14 June 2012

More than 70 people turned up at a lively Flamborough Parish Council meeting at which a wind turbine application in the village was recommended for refusal.

The meeting, held on Monday evening, saw councillors vote to refuse the application for the 112 feet to blade tip wind turbine which has been submitted for land south west of the Waste Water Treatment Works at West Street, in Flamborough.

Clerk of Flamborough Parish Council, Libby Woodhouse, said that one of the main reasons the parish council had rejected the plans was because of impact the turbine would have on the Heritage Coastline.

“Around 70 people turned up to the meeting, including the applicant and representatives, and there was quite a lively debate about the possibility of putting up the turbine,” said Mrs Woodhouse.

“The council strongly objects to the turbine application because of the impact it would have on the landscape of the Heritage Coast and the visual impact for residents of the village.

“They also took into consideration the effect it would have on conservation areas such as Danes Dyke and local nature reserves.”

A 263 name petition in opposition to the turbine plan, organised by residents in the village, was also handed to the council at the meeting while villagers and local anti-wind turbine campaigners spoke to councillors.

If accepted, the turbine – which stands around 25 feet higher than Flamborough Lighthouse – would sit around 600 metres from Flamborough village and fewer than 250 metres from the cliffs at Flamborough Head. Campaigners against the plans say that the turbine would be seen from across Bridlington Bay.

Bridlington Town Council’s planning committee have also recommended refusal, as have Bempton Parish Council.

A turbine at Bempton, proposed for Norway Farm on Cliff Lane, was withdrawn earlier in the year after receiving more than 150 objections.

Opponents to the plan say that the effect a turbine would have on the Flamborough Heritage Coast could lead to problems for the tourism industry in the area, reducing the number of people looking to stay at caravans and holiday parks near Flamborough. They say it could also negative lyimpact on the so called ‘Yorkshire Nature Triangle’ linking an expanded RSPB Centre at Bempton Cliffs with a new Living Seas Centre at the South Landing.

Around 35 objections from Flamborough residents have been recorded on the East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s planning website, and it is this authority who will decide whether to accept or refuse the plans.

English Heritage have already rejected the plan, saying the application “provides inadequate assessment of the potential impact of the proposed turbine on the setting and significance of the Danes Dyke Scheduled Monument”, while Public Rights of Way have raised concerns over the application’s effect on three public footpaths.

More information on the plan can be found on East Riding council’s planning portal on their website eastriding.gov.uk with the planning reference 12/01846/PLF.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/06/15/flamborough-turbine-plan-recommended-for-refusal/