February 18, 2014
England

Barnwell Manor wind farm Court of Appeal case quashed

18 February 2014 | www.bbc.co.uk

Plans for four 300ft (91.4m) wind turbines on land close to a 17th Century lodge in Northamptonshire have been quashed by the Court of Appeal.

West Coast Energy applied to build on land at Barnwell Manor near Lyveden New Bield, home to an Elizabethan garden.

The firm tried to overturn a High Court ruling in March 2013 that the decision to allow the scheme was legally flawed.

The National Trust said the turbines were too close to its lodge. The company is expected to comment later.

Plans for five turbines at Barnwell Manor were rejected by East Northamptonshire District Council in 2010 following opposition by local residents who continued to fight the new proposal.

Duty to protect

The developers won an appeal for four turbines but this was overturned by Mrs Justice Lang at the High Court who said the decision was legally flawed.

The National Trust said it was delighted with the decision and said the turbines would have adversely affected the Grade I-listed Elizabethan manor house, lodge and garden.

Director general Helen Ghosh, said: “We are committed to renewable energy but it has to work in the landscape.

“The Trust aims to source 50% of its energy from renewables, including wind, by 2020, but this shouldn’t be at any cost.

“Our core purpose as a conservation charity means we have a duty to protect beautiful places like Lyveden and each wind proposal should be of a scale and location that works with the special qualities of its setting.”

Local councillor Sylvia Hughes, said: “Whilst we support the development of green energy, it must not be to the detriment of our valuable heritage sites.

“I think that the impact on the landscape is a crucial factor when considering a wind farm site and we know that the Lyveden landscape is highly valued by residents and visitors.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/02/18/barnwell-manor-wind-farm-court-of-appeal-case-quashed/