July 16, 2013
England

Hemswell Cliff wind farm: Villagers fight proposals

BBC News | 16 July 2013 | www.bbc.co.uk

Villagers are campaigning against a proposal for a 10-turbine wind farm in Lincolnshire.

An application has been submitted for the 415ft (126.5m) high turbines at Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough.

Ernie Coleman, from Villages of the Cliff Against Turbines (VOCAT), said the development would “ruin the countryside”.

RWE Npower Renewables said it had consulted residents and had some positive responses.

Mr Coleman said: “These are massive 126m turbines, each one is 140 ft taller than the main tower of Lincoln Cathedral, that is industrialisation on a massive scale when 10 of those turbines are put on that site.

“We think the countryside around here is special and it’s being ruined.”

‘Inappropriate development’

Paul Howett-Cowen, Conservative councillor representing Hemswell on West Lindsey District Council, said the authority had received 2,500 letters of objection against the proposal from residents in nine surrounding villages.

The wind farm could power 11,600 homes, according to RWE Npower Renewables.

Barry Dutton, chairman of Hemswell Parish Council, said: “We’ve had meetings and questionnaires in all of our villages and we’re pretty united in our objection to.

“We’re not objecting to renewable energy but this is an inappropriate development.”

Neil Parnell, from RWE Npower Renewables, said: “Over the past few months, once we submitted the planning application back in July last year, there was a formal consultation process on the information that we put in.”

The district council is running a consultation on the plans until 22 July and is due to make a decision in the autumn.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/07/16/hemswell-cliff-wind-farm-villagers-fight-proposals/