March 10, 2013
England

Objection to wind turbines

Eastbourne Herald | 9 March 2013 | www.eastbourneherald.co.uk

Stop Shepham Wind Farm Action Group says the revised planning application is little better than the original scheme – and it will be objecting to the development every step of the way.

Galliford Try Renewables (GTR) submitted a new application to Wealden District Council last week after withdrawing its previous application for five turbines in Shepham Lane, near Polegate, at the eleventh hour back in July last year.

The revised plan is for three turbines and the height of them has been reduced slightly.

However, local residents campaigning against the proposals say the visual impact is still too great and they have labelled the three structures as ‘giant turbines’.

Roy van-der-Kieft, who would be just 650 yards from the nearest turbine, said, “It would be a nightmare to have these giant turbines placed in this location.

“ It would be just pure visual vandalism to place these structures, each of which would be 60 feet taller than Big Ben, in such an environment.

“They would be overbearing and dominate the local landscape for us and other local residents.”

Another local resident, Joyce Richards, who enjoys views of the South Downs National Park from her home , said, “Like many who live, walk or ride around here and enjoy the views across the scarp of the Downs, I believe that the erection of huge turbines will ruin them for everyone.”

However, GTR says the latest scheme has ‘changed significantly’ from that put to the council last year.

Tom Porter, project developer for GTR, said, “The new three turbine scheme takes account of the concerns raised by Wealden District Council and the South Downs National Park for the original application, and looks to overcome these by reducing the project in size and scale.

“We have listened closely to the comments and advice provided and we hope the amended scheme is more acceptable to the local authority and the community.”

Stop Shepham Wind farm Action Group has vowed to campaign against the plan as it did last year.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/10/objection-to-wind-turbines/