April 30, 2013
England

Application for giant wind farm at Meddon withdrawn

North Devon Journal | April 29, 2013 | www.thisisnorthdevon.co.ukNorth Devon Journal | April 29, 2013 | www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk

An application for a giant wind farm, near Hartland, with five wind turbines taller than St Paul’s Cathedral has been withdrawn by the developer.

The application for the five 126 metre turbines at Harbourcross Land at Meddon was withdrawn from Torridge District Council’s planning system by the developers Wind Ventures Ltd on Thursday.

The application was submitted last year and in the past few months has met fierce objection.

An opposition group called Stop It was set up to stop the proposal going ahead and it was also the first turbine application which Geoffrey Cox, MP for Torridge and West Devon, objected to forcing him to say “enough is enough”.

In September last year Mr Cox said: ” There are no fewer than 60 applications currently in the planning system at Torridge.

“Enough is enough, we have to wake up and have a wider debate about the effect these turbines will have on our communities.

“These turbines at Meddon will be taller than St Paul’s Cathedral.”

Adrian Butler, a project manager from Wind Ventures, confirmed the application had been withdrawn last week.

He said: “We have withdrawn the application. Basically from reading and listening to the comments made on the application from members of the public and consultees we have decided the turbines were too high.

“We still think it is a very good site for a wind farm. We will be submitting a new application for a wind farm still consisting of five turbines but they will all be 107 metres in height.

“We have carried out a new environmental impact assessment and believe this is an acceptable scheme.

“We could submit the application by the end of the week.”

David Westcott, who helped set up campaign group Stop It, said the fight is not over.

He added: “We are very pleased we have got to this stage but the fight is not over yet.

“So far we just feel we have done everything right.”

The group has so far spent thousands of pounds on getting reports produced on the site, and has produced leaflets and flyers highlighting the application.

“It just makes me think they were told they didn’t have a chance with them at that height. It is just not a site for turbines”, he added.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/04/30/application-for-giant-wind-farm-at-meddon-withdrawn/