July 16, 2012
England

Lichfield District Council set for decision on controversial twin turbines

Tamworth Herald | www.thisistamworth.co.uk 16 July 2012

Plans to build two 100 metre wind turbines on land at Hoggs Hill in Haunton are to be discussed at a meeting of North Warwickshire Borough Council this week.

German company Prowind (UK) Ltd have lodged an application with Lichfield District Council for the high wind turbines to be erected for a period of 25 years.

North Warwickshire planners have been asked for their views on the proposals and a report to the committee recommends that no objections be raised.

But the report says: “There is real potential for the proposals to be seen as part of a number of turbines and wind farms in this area in the coming years, should planning permission be granted for a number of schemes presently at screening, scoping or pre-application stage.

“These include potential wind farms for eight 125m turbines at Austrey/Orton-on-the-Hill; eight 125m turbines north of No Man’s Heath and a further 70m turbine at junction 10 of the M42.

“While these are all potential schemes, and thus not material considerations at this stage, the situation may change prior to Lichfield District Council determining the application.”

In a separate move, four local MPs met with councillors at Orton-on-the-Hill recently, to discuss the threat of wind turbines in the area.

The meeting had been arranged by Ivan Ould, a Leicestershire County Councillor, and leaders of the SSWAT group (Stop Subsidised Wind Farms Around Tamworth).

Local MPs Dan Byles (North Warwickshire) and Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) joined with MPs Andrew (North West Leicestershire) and David Tredinnick (Bosworth), as well as parish, borough and county councillors from North Warwickshire and Leicestershire.

Before their meeting, the group walked to view the site from the vantage point at the junction of The Green and Warton Road, in order that the extent of the proposals could be better understood.

There followed a presentation by Chris Meredith, a former engineer and senior manager in the Power Industry, against the economics and technology of large wind turbines, which, he claimed, would need back-up technology from conventional power stations when the wind turbines cannot operate.

The talk was followed by a discussion where those present stated their intention to assist in promoting a more balanced approach to wind farm developments.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/07/16/lichfield-district-council-set-for-decision-on-controversial-twin-turbines/