Plan to build wind turbine near Arlesey estate resubmitted 

A plan to build a wind turbine near to a housing estate has been resubmitted.

Central Bedfordshire Council launched a public consultation on Thursday, January 9, in response to a planning application by FCC Environment for a wind turbine to be built within the boundary of the Arlesey landfill site in Mill Lane.

The proposed site is located on the other side of the railway tracks to Arlesey residents in nearby Lamb Meadow, Howberry Green and Hospital Road.

Chairman Hugh Harper said: “I don’t think wind turbines do a great deal, but they do impose on the countryside. I think people are concerned about the impact it will have on the landscape in the surrounding area and people’s dwellings nearby.

“If we put one there, then how many will follow? There is also the noise element and the height of the turbine. They are not small things and you will be able to see it from as far as Henlow camp.”

Susan Saunders, 53, of Hospital Road said: “I came to live in Arlesey from a city because I wanted more of the country life, but since moving here it has become evident that there’s a lot of regeneration going on. Some of it for the good, but some of it I’m particularly not happy with.

“I certainly wouldn’t be happy with a wind turbine being positioned within sight of my house. I understand that we need things for 
renewable energy but I don’t think they are good in residential areas.”

Radojka Nikolic, of Lamb Meadow, said: “Arlesey always wants to be progressive and I appreciate that mentality, but sometimes progressive can be disruptive. I think this wind turbine could be another disruptive force entering Arlesey.”

Nick Daniels, chairman of Arlesey Town Council, said: “They have submitted an application two or three times before and then pulled it out to be resubmitted with changes. When a plan has been submitted in the past the council rejected it because the turbine was too high and we also have serious concerns over the capability of the bridge that leads to the site.

“It was considered to be unsafe to take two lanes of traffic a few years ago and we have doubts if it would be able to take the volume of traffic the site would require.”

The consultation ends on Friday, February 7, with the target decision date on the planning application set for March 6.

An FCC Environment spokesman said: “The new application takes into account feedback from the council and other stakeholders. It provides additional information regarding the assessment of the environmental impacts of the scheme in line with government guidance.

“For this revised application we have specifically undertaken detailed assessments of the potential landscape and visual effects of the wind turbine, the impact of construction traffic and the suitability of access points to the site. The height of the turbine has also been reduced from 90m to 51m.

“FCC Environment is committed to reducing the reliance on fossil fuels for the generation of electricity and looking for new ways to 
generate renewable energy such as wind power.

“We are hoping to use suitable waste management sites around the country to erect small wind turbines to generate green electricity. This will be sold back to the national grid to power homes and businesses.”