December 12, 2012
England

Turbine plan recommended for approval

By Martin Neville | Isle of Wight County Press | December 12, 2012 | www.iwcp.co.uk

Plans for a 74-metre wind turbine near Carisbrooke took a step forward yesterday (Tuesday).

A revised scheme for a single turbine at Betty Haunt Lane is being recommended for conditional approval, although the proposal could still be thrown out on noise grounds.

Planning officers are recommending the authority’s planning sub committee approve the highly controversial application on all matters, apart from noise, at its meeting on Monday, January 7.

The applicant would then be required to carry out a further noise assessment to be reported back to councillors at a future meeting for a final decision.

The scheme, which has attracted more than 350 representations, proposes a 74m turbine, producing around 500kW of renewable energy. It would operate for around 25 years before being decommissioned and removed from the site.

The council’s own environmental health officer has objected to the plans until additional noise monitoring is carried out to show the turbine would meet current guidelines.

There is also opposition from English Heritage which has concerns about the potential impact on the setting of the Swainston estate and Great Park House.

According to the committee report, planning officers consider the turbine’s visual impact on the landscape, its impact on neighbouring homes and on the setting of heritage sites to be acceptable.

But it adds there remains uncertainty over the potential impact from noise on the closest residential property, a mobile home near Trumor Feeds on Forest Road.

The report states: “Planning officers remain unconvinced there is sufficient information to confirm the proposed wind turbine would not result in unacceptable noise disturbance to the occupiers of this dwelling.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/12/12/turbine-plan-recommended-for-approval/