Broughton & Appleby campaigners celebrate as plan for 14 wind turbines is dropped | By Scunthorpe Telegraph | Posted: March 23, 2014 | www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk
A group of residents are celebrating after a company pulled out of a plan to build 14 new wind turbines.
Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) had planned to apply for permission to construct a wind farm between Broughton and Appleby.
RES submitted a scoping request to North Lincolnshire Council in March 2013, looking into what would be required to gain planning permission for the Carrs Wind Farm.
For around six months, a group of Broughton residents have been meeting, conducting research and preparing to lodge their opposition to the application.
But head of the group, Mayor of Broughton Councillor Holly Mumby-Croft, has received a letter from RES announcing the company no longer intends to make a formal application.
Mrs Mumby-Croft said she was “over the moon” with the outcome.
“It feels like I’ve won the lottery, I’m absolutely thrilled to bits,” she said.
“The wind farm would have changed the nature of the area forever, and we’ve been working hard to oppose it.
“Wind power has its place, there’s no denying that, but this part of the country has more than its fair share and we didn’t feel having it here would be beneficial. It’s just fantastic news – to have it here in writing is wonderful.”
The letter stated RES felt the site – which would have generated electricity to power around 22,000 homes – was no longer viable.
RES development director Rachel Ruffle confirmed the decision, adding: “The anticipated development costs for this project, taken in combination with the increasing uncertainty over the government’s policies on renewable energy, mean that we will not be progressing Carrs Wind Farm.
“As a responsible developer, we want to make it clear to local communities and their elected representatives that RES will not be taking this scheme forward.”
The firm also stated that the wind farm would have injected £4 million into the local area through job creation and service use, and a further £4.5 million over 25 years of operation and a community benefits package.
The residents’ group will now keep hold of their research in the event of a later application in the area.
Mrs Mumby-Croft said: “At the moment it’s time to celebrate, but after that we’ll get our feet back on the ground in case anyone else comes in.
“We’re hoping to work together with North Lincolnshire Council to develop a neighbourhood plan, which should allow us to protect the area into the future.
“In the end this whole issue has been a good thing for the town, it’s drawn a lot of people closer together and has made them realise how much they care about where they live.”
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/23/campaigners-celebrate-as-plan-for-14-wind-turbines-is-dropped/