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Calls for borough wide wind turbine policy
Credit: Written by Kerry Ashdown | Staffordshire Newsletter | 18 October 2013 | www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk ~~
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Stone councillors are calling for a borough-wide stance against wind turbines being installed near homes.
There was standing room only when dozens of residents packed into Little Stoke Cricket Club on Monday to voice their anger at plans to install two turbines near the Aston Lodge estate.
The meeting was called by town councillors Philip Jones, Tom Jackson and June Price in response to objections raised by residents since the turbine plans were submitted to Stafford Borough Council last month.
Councillor Jones, also a borough and county councillor, told the meeting: “I have asked the leader of Stafford Borough Council to write a policy for wind turbines, to say no in the proximity of residential areas.”
He added that the applicant, Leicestershire-based Hallmark Power, had been invited to attend the meeting but was unavailable on Monday.
“They did say they would provide a photomontage to show that the turbines can’t be seen from houses, and would mix with existing overhead cables,” Councillor Jones added. “But of course these (turbines) are 12 storeys high.”
Residents opposing the turbines were also encouraged to sign a petition, which will be available to sign at the cricket club.
There were calls from objectors to work with the protest group who saw off turbine plans near Aston by Stone three years ago, using their knowledge from the previous battle to inform the Aston Lodge campaign.
Severn Trent won approval for a wind monitor near Aston by Stone from a Government inspector in 2010, which would have been followed by an application for three turbines, but later that year the plans were put on ice.
At Monday’s meeting concerns raised included noise and the potential effect of flickering blades on people with epilepsy.
Aston Lodge resident Mark Davies added: “You don’t want to come home and see 45m high turbines – it will add to your stress.”
Stafford Borough Council leader Mike Heenan, who was not present at Monday’s meeting, told the Newsletter: “As a planning authority we have to follow certain policies which are laid down statutorily; it is a difficult situation.
“But we are going to be discussing this very shortly and we are going to look at it carefully.”
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