December 5, 2013
England

Morpeth wind turbine proposals are thrown out – Tim Krul objected to the plans

By Brian Daniel | Chronicle Live | 5 Dec 2013 | www.chroniclelive.co.uk

Proposals to site massive wind turbines in Northumberland countryside – which Toon goalkeeper Tim Krul objected to – have been thrown out.

Developer Wind Ventures’ bid for four structures – each 126m (413ft) tall – at the former RAF airfield at Tranwell Woods, near Morpeth, has been refused by Northumberland County Council.

The decision came after 362 letters of objection from local residents – including Newcastle Unted goalkeeper Tim Krul, Whalton, Mitford and Stannington parish councils and Morpeth Town Council, Newcastle International Airport and the Ministry of Defence.

Concerns included the principle of the development, the potential for precedent, impact on the openness of the area’s landscape character, cumulative impact, landscape visual impact, and residential amenity noise.

Krul donated signed United gear to Tranwell Windfarm Action Group which it auctioned to raise money for its fighting fund.

Eighteen letters of support were submitted, citing the need for renewable energy and claiming the development could be accommodated into the landscape character without adverse impacts.

The county council’s planning and environment and public rights of way committee was recommended to refuse on Tuesday and members voted unanimously in line with that advice.

Penny Norton, chairman of the action group and the Whalton council, said: “The action group are delighted as are Whalton parish and the other councils. We are not against renewables but they have to be in the right place.”

Krul’s partner Claire Hall was at the meeting, and was said to be “elated” at the outcome. Action group vice chairman Karen Carins, chairman of the Stannington council, said: “We had a lot of support from the Krul family and I think they will continue to support us.”

Adrian Butler from Wind Ventures said: “I would like to thank the local people who supported our proposal. The proposal would have brought real benefits for the local communities and I am therefore disappointed that planning permission was refused. We were offering £1m worth of funding over its lifetime that could have been used to assist local projects and groups.”

Meanwhile masts which could pave the way for a massive wind farm of up to 100 giant turbines in Northumberland’s Kielder Forest have been given the go-ahead.

It was reported in August how RWE npower renewables had been appointed by the Forestry Commission, which manages the forest, to explore the potential for a wind farm there.

The investigations could lead to proposals for one of the UK’s biggest wind farms of between 50 and 100 turbines, including machines up to 170m tall.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/12/05/morpeth-wind-turbine-proposals-are-thrown-out-tim-krul-objected-to-the-plans/