June 11, 2013
England

Molesworth wind farm has more than 400 objections

Written by JULIAN MAKEY | News & Crier | 11 June 2013 | www.cambridge-news.co.uk

A wind farm action group has called on RWE npower Renewables to drop its bid to build six 413ft turbines at Molesworth after the Government signalled a change in planning guidance to give residents more of a say.

Stop Molesworth Wind Farm Action Group urged RWE to withdraw its application because of the “overwhelming” objections from local people.

The firm has launched an appeal over its plan for the wind farm because Huntingdonshire District Council has not made a decision on its application and a public inquiry is expected to start in December.

Members of the action group are expected to lobby councillors at the council’s Development Management Panel when the wind farm is considered on Monday.

Councillors are expected to indicate they would have refused the plan if it had not gone to appeal.

Council planners have said the wind farm would harm heritage assets, including Bythorn church, and would lead to “unacceptable” impacts on the landscape as well as Warren Grange.

More than 400 people have written to the council objecting to the plan and there have been more than 150 letters in support.

Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has announced new planning guidance for wind farms over concerns that their impact on the environment was not being taken into acount fully and he also said there should be “meaningful engagement” with people being affected by them.

The action group has called on RWE to withdraw its planning application because of the changes and to avoid big legal bills for all parties.

Zoe Woods, from the group, said that although the new Government guidelines had not come into effect, they hoped RWE would take them into account.

She said: “We welcome the recent announcement and we urge RWE to listen to local opinion.

“We will not give up and will continue to fight.”

Ms Woods said they were encouraging residents to go to the planning meeting on Monday.

The group is also appealing for funds so it can be represented at the planning inquiry.

A plan to build a single 150ft wind turbine at nearby Catworth Lodge, Tilbrook, is being recommended for approval at the same meeting of the development panel.

Planners said the turbine would be “read” as part of a building cluster with a copse as a background. Its site was also away from settlements, homes and valley landscapes and was not considered to be “significantly harmful” to the landscape.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/06/11/molesworth-wind-farm-has-more-than-400-objections/