July 18, 2012
England

Doubts over public inquiry into refusal of plans for nine wind turbines in Lincolnshire

East Coast Target | www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/ 18 July 2012

A public inquiry into a proposed wind farm at Orby was thrown into doubt just hours after it began yesterday.

The inquiry was scheduled to hear Mark Caudwell’s appeal against East Lindsey District Council’s decision to refuse permission for nine turbines on land off Marsh Lane.

However, as the Target went to press the hearing had been adjourned as doubts emerged over whether ELDC had informed all interested parties of the hearing by letter.

The scheduled eight-day hearing had earlier got under way at Hogsthorpe Village Hall during which time planning inspector Trevor Cookson was due to hear evidence on behalf of Mr Caudwell, ELDC and the Orby Wind Farm Action Group (OWAG).

In his opening statement, Marcus Trinick QC, on behalf of Mr Caudwell, outlined the need for renewable energy schemes including onshore wind farms to meet the UK’s energy targets.

Mr Trinick added: “It is the case for the appellant that the proposed development is of the right scale and in the right location, has remarkably few impacts of relevance to your decision, and therefore should receive permission unless you determine that there are particular impacts which go beyond what is inevitable and normal for any rural wind farm.”

ELDC’s single reason for refusal was based on the cumulative impact of the application with regard to current and pending onshore and offshore wind farm developments.

Giving evidence on their behalf was Philip Russell-Vick, a chartered landscape architect, who carried out a number of fieldwork assessments from various viewpoints around the proposed wind farm site.

His work took into account existing turbines at Croft, Mablethorpe, Ulceby and offshore.

He said: “Orby Marsh further compounds the considerable impact of 100 plus offshore turbines, adding to the visual confusion, and in the way of wind turbines in varied weather conditions, confusing the eye on distance and totally detracting from the otherwise simple relationship of the Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, flat marsh, coast and sea.

“In my assessment, the addition of the Orby Marsh wind farm would cumulatively with other constructed, planned and proposed wind farms have a significantly harmful impact on the character and quality of the Lincolnshire Wolds and the landscape of the marshes and coast.”

The hearing was told that an application for six turbines at Bank House Farm near Croft is expected to be validated by ELDC in the next few days and Mr Russell-Vick said this only strengthened his objections.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/07/18/doubts-over-public-inquiry-into-refusal-of-plans-for-nine-wind-turbines-in-lincolnshire/