January 12, 2013
England

‘No’ to turbines scheme over air traffic concerns

12 January 2013 | www.longridgenews.co.uk

Plans for two wind turbines in Great Eccleston have been rejected by Wyre Council, on the grounds that they could interfere with air traffic.

The application had been for two 1 
8.4 metre high (to hub) (24.9 metres to tip of blade), 11ke wind turbines, at White House Farm, White House Lane.

But the council turned down the plan, saying the turbines would be contrary to national planning guidelines, which say turbines should be 12.5 km from the sight lines of aerodromes, and that they would “cause unacceptable interference to air traffic control” at Warton Aerodrome.

The report from officers said the turbines would have a detrimental impact on the performance of the MOD ATC and range control radars, specifically the desensitisation of radar and the creation of “false” aircraft returns, which air traffic controllers must treat as real.

As such, the proposal would compromise aircraft safety.

The report added that the application did not demonstrate that there would be no impact with regard to “flicker”– the turning blades casting flickering shadows – or, if necessary, how this would be mitigated.

Without this information, said the report, the application was considered to be too inadequate to enable the local planning authority to assess the application in this respect.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/12/no-to-turbines-scheme-over-air-traffic-concerns/