February 21, 2014
England

Joy after Billingborough wind turbine plans are withdrawn

Sleaford Target | February 21, 2014 | www.sleafordtarget.co.uk

A campaign group launched to oppose wind farm developments close to two villages near Sleaford is celebrating its third major success.

Billingborough and Horbling Against Turbines has celebrated the news that plans to erect two 36.4 metre high turbines has been withdrawn.

It is the third proposal to be drawn up by power giant Eon for the area since 2009, following a 17-turbine and later a two-turbine scheme, both of which were discontinued.

Now the Crown Estate, which owns land all over the country for The Queen, has revealed that it does not want the wind farm on its land between the two villages.

A spokesman said: “Our estate management decisions are based primarily on commercial factors and, having undertaken an estate wide review, we believe it is in our best commercial interest not to pursue the proposal.

“We believe we can derive best overall value from our Billingborough Estate by focusing on its agricultural element.”

Campaign chairman Sarah Ormrod, of High Street in Billingborough, said: “It is with great pleasure, and considerable relief, that BHATS can announce that the proposed wind farm on land close to the villages of Billingborough and Horblin, appears to have been abandoned.

“To be more precise, the Crown Estate, on whose land the wind farm was to have been built, has decided not to pursue the scheme.

“For all those who opposed this very large industrial development close to two very rural villages, this is very good news.

“The exact reasons why the Crown Estate dropped the plan have not been made clear, but it is likely to be a combination of organised local opposition, increasing anti-wind farm attitudes nationally, the large number of wind farms already in Lincolnshire and South Kesteven District Council’s planning policies which seek to limit the impact of wind turbines.

“BHATS would like to thank all those who have given their support during the long process of opposition to this very unpopular and ill-considered proposal.

Michael King is chairman of Billingborough Parish Council and is South Kesteven District councillor for Billingborough, Horbling and Folkingham.

He said: “About 1,200 people live in our village and when the first consultations were held for the first wind farm back in 2009 the developers claimed there were 50/50 in favour and against.

“But we did a straw poll by putting a note through every door – and our results showed 78 per cent against and only 22 per cent in favour.

“Since then BHATS has campaigned very strongly, keeping up ther pressure and opposing all three of the proposals, which have now been all been defeated.

“I think they thought that, because there is a low population density, they would face a weak opposition.

“But many people feel very strongly about the visual impact on our heritage – we want to preserve the skyline which is dominated by the 150ft spire of St Andrew’s Church in Billingborough.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/02/21/joy-after-billingborough-wind-turbine-plans-are-withdrawn/