November 18, 2013
Wales

Wind turbine quashed at high court

Tivyside Advertiser | 18th November 2013 | www.tivysideadvertiser.co.uk

A decision to allow the erection of a wind turbine on the picturesque Teifi estuary has been quashed by the High Court of Justice.

Plans for the turbine at Trebared farm, Gwbert, were given the go-ahead by Ceredigion planners in July despite strong opposition from local residents and the council’s own planning officers.

Farmer Dai Phillips said he needed the turbine to help make the farm sustainable – and has since put in a fresh application for a 20kw turbine at the site.

Dr Clive Studd of St Dogmaels took the application for judicial review at the High Court of Justice in Cardiff, where a judge agreed that the decision had been unlawful because the council had gone against its own development plan and failed to consider other energy alternatives.

“I pursued the application for judicial review not because I was interested in picking fault with the planning process but to underline how unbalanced the decision was of the Ceredigion councillors in relation to the adverse impact of a moving industrial skyline object in an area which is greatly appreciated by local residents, visitors and holiday-makers for its unspoilt natural beauty,” Mr Studd said.

“Despite objections from over one hundred local residents with negligible support, the Ceredigion Development Committee councillors felt able to ride rough-shod over the considered advice of their planning professionals. It’s the same application details this time around and there has not been any further planning guidance issued by the county council on renewables so will the same happen again? I presume the planning officers recommendation will again be to refuse, if not, why not?” he added.

A spokesperson for Ceredigion County Council said: “By a consent order dated the 6th of November 2013, the High Court quashed the planning decision on procedural grounds.”

A new application for a wind turbine at the same spot has now been lodged with planners.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/11/18/wind-turbine-quashed-at-high-court/