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Call to block wind turbine applications
Credit: Shropshire Star | October 30, 2013 | www.shropshirestar.com ~~
A former High Sheriff of Shropshire has pleaded with planning officers to turn down a string of wind turbine applications earmarked for countryside surrounding Bridgnorth.
Hugh Trevor-Jones, who was High Sheriff in 2010 and is a current deputy lieutenant of the county, said he fiercely opposed the proposed developments near the towm.
Five applications have been made for eight turbines in the hills to the west of the town. They are expected to be debated by members of Shropshire Council’s south planning committee before the end of the year.
Mr Trevor-Jones, who lives in Oldbury, near Bridgnorth, said he believed the turbines would ruin the area’s landscape.
He said: “This is an issue which goes well beyond the application for an 86 metre-high turbine at The Down, just over a kilometre from where we live.
“There are several planning applications in the pipeline for wind projects in the hills near Bridgnorth and my grave concern is these could proliferate throughout the county.
“The countryside of Shropshire is its greatest natural asset and wind turbines will massively intrude on its visual serenity, standing starkly amongst Housman’s “blue remembered hills”.
“There are now five applications for eight turbines in the hills to the west of Bridgnorth, with several more under discussion. None of them are appropriately sited.”
Mr Trevor-Jones said he had lived in Shropshire his whole life and had got to know the rest of county during his year-long tenure as High Sheriff.
He said he feared once one application was approved it would provide a green light for similar projects throughout Shropshire.
He said: “Allowing a single one of these applications will lead to a random proliferation across the county.
“Shropshire is relatively unpopulated which makes it a soft target for developers.
“Landowners benefit from generous feed-in tariffs funded by green levies on household energy bills.
“Meanwhile, communities suffer the consequences of their actions in their loss of views, peace and simple enjoyment of the countryside.”
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