September 27, 2012
England

Residents agree to raise £40,000 to cover legal challenge to wind farm

By Callum Jones | Northampton Chronicle & Echo | www.northamptonchron.co.uk 26 September 2012

Residents in south Northamptonshire have pledged to raise £40,000 to help fund a judicial review of a decision to approve the construction of five wind turbines.

An application from developers Broadview to build the wind farm at Spring Farm Ridge, near Helmdon, was originally turned down in June 2011 by South Northamptonshire Council planning committee, however this decision was overturned by the Planning Inspectorate on appeal.

A meeting was held in Greatworth last night when residents discussed the options available to them.

Andrea Leadsom, Conservative MP for South Northamptonshire, attended the meeting as she is backing the residents’ campaign against the wind farm.

Mrs Leadsom said the residents had agreed to fund the £40,000 liability that would be needed to launch a judicial review.

She said: “There are four grounds that can be used to get a judicial review.

“Two of these can be used by South Northamptonshire Council but the other two must be raised by the local community.

“The residents have agreed to raise £40,000 to cover the potential court costs but the barristers would only take the case on if they thought it had a good chance of success.”

Mrs Leadsom said one of the ideas put forward for funding this is for residents of villages near Spring Farm Ridge to pay an extra £10 of parish precept in the next year.

The High Court is expected to hear the case early next year.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/09/27/residents-agree-to-raise-40000-to-cover-legal-challenge-to-wind-farm/