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Villagers see off wind turbines bid
Credit: Leicester Mercury | www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk 15 September 2012 ~~
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Residents in a tiny village have won their battle against plans by energy companies to put up two wind turbines.
Applications for a 46m (150ft) turbine on at Hall Farm and a 77m (252ft) turbine at Park Farm, both in Klondyke Lane, Thorpe Satchville, were turned down by Melton Borough Council’s development committee on Thursday.
Both proposals were rejected on the grounds of the impact they would have on the landscape, despite recommendations by planning officers to grant permission.
The decision was greeted with delight by more than 100 objectors from the ThorpeSayNo group.
Group member Anna Freij said: “We were overjoyed. It was a very good turnout, with more than 100 objectors.
“I would like to thank the committee for listening to our concerns. We feel the battle is won.”
Villager Caroline Baker said the decision came as a “huge relief”, but added: “The battle is won, but not necessarily the war. Melton Borough Council needs a strategy in place for dealing with applications of this sort, or we will see more applications for these turbines on inappropriate sites.
“One of the applications was for a 77m turbine – that’s bigger than the control tower at East Midlands Airport, which I can see from my home 20 miles away.
“It’s 5m short of the Cardinal Exchange building in Humberstone Gate. It would dominate the landscape for miles around.
“I’m not against renewable energy, but the turbines have to be compatible with the setting.
“The subsidies available to energy companies incentivise landowners to apply for them on their land.
“I can’t blame them for putting the applications in.
“Unless they put a strategy in place, it will cost Melton council a fortune in appeals.”
It is expected that at least one of the companies behind the schemes will now appeal.
Adrian Presbury, managing director of Nottingham-based Pure Renewable Energy Ltd, the company behind the plans for the larger of the two turbines, said: “We will consider our position in the light of the planning officer’s report and consider where we go from there, if anywhere.”
Aardvark EM Ltd is the company behind the Hall Farm turbine application. As the Leicester Mercury went to press, no-one from the firm had responded to our request for a comment.
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