August 5, 2012
England

NKDC says ‘no’ to fenland wind turbine plan

Sleaford Standard | www.sleafordstandard.co.uk 5 August 2012

Councillors have recommended that their neighbouring district council turn down an application to install wind turbines near Horbling.

It was initially thought there were no properties within 2.2km of the proposed site of two turbines planned for South Forty Foot Drain at Horbling Fen and the planning committee at North Kesteven District Council was all set to recommend that South Kesteven District Council should allow the scheme to go ahead.

North Kesteven planners had thought that as the turbines would be located around 1km away from the district and, in view of the relatively low height of the turbines, there would be no detrimental impact.

But at a meeting of NKDC’s planning committee last Tuesday, it emerged there is a property less than 1km away from the proposed site, on the Swaton side of the A52, inside North Kesteven.

In view of that, NKDC planners voted to object to the application and to recommend that SKDC reject the application too.

Coun Jim Cook said: “When this application came in, my BlackBerry turned red hot with people protesting against wind farms.

“What concerns me with this application is that whoever did the report got it wrong, saying that the nearest dwelling is Glebe Farm when there is a property 1km away from the proposed site.”

The proposed site is owned by Eau Farm, Swaton, 4.8k away. If approved, the turbines would stand 46 metres tall and would feed energy into the National Grid.

Coun Marianne Overton said the location of the nearest property to the site was a ‘very important factor’ in making a decision.

NKDC were asked to give their recommendations on the development and at the meeting 18 councillors voted to oppose the application, with only one voting in favour. The application will be heard by South Kesteven planners on September 18.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/05/nkdc-says-no-to-fenland-wind-turbine-plan/