May 17, 2013
England

Ban wind turbines near homes plea

Lancaster Guardian | 17 May 2013 | www.lancasterguardian.co.uk

A Nether Kellet man has called on city councillors to ban wind turbines from being built close to people’s homes.

Phil Storer, who lives on Back Lane in the village, said he had been concerned by four recent applications for turbines nearby.

They include plans for two turbines at Lane Ends Farm, 190m from Mr Storer’s front door. A turbine is already up and running at Lawson’s Farm, one has permission at Back Lane Quarry and another is planned at Birkland Burrow Farm.

Mr Storer presented a petition to a full Lancaster City Council meeting on Monday in the wake of a recent judgment by the High Court in Milton Keynes.

Judge John Howell QC ruled that councils could identify separation distances between homes and turbines, below which planning permission would not be granted.

In his petition to the council, Mr Storer, said: “We note that the judgement has been interpreted as confirming that local authorities can set exclusion zones to protect local people from inappropriate development and we petition Lancaster City Council to amend its core strategy as adopted on July 23 2008, (or such other planning document as may be appropriate) so as to include a minimum separation distance as a safeguard to protect the amenity of wind turbine neighbours.”

The petition came after the council’s head of planning and regeneration, Andrew Dobson, said it did not believe separation distances would be in the public interest and had no current intention of implementing them.

But Mr Storer said: “This should be a decision for councillors rather than officers – otherwise, why do we have a democracy?

“Turbines are being built too close to people’s homes.

“There can be problems with noise and flicker, not to mention the damned annoyance of the things.

“We just seem to be surrounded by them.”

Mr Storer’s petition will be considered at a future meeting of Lancaster City Council’s cabinet.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/05/17/ban-wind-turbines-near-homes-plea/