April 6, 2014
England

Wind turbine plan scaled back

By Kerry Coupe | Rutland Times | 05 April 2014 | www.rutland-times.co.uk

An energy company has scaled back plans for a wind farm and will be consulting on the new proposals in the summer.

Renewable energy firm RES acquired the options to develop a wind farm on the former Woolfox Lodge airfield, near the A1 south of Stretton, from SSE Renewables last August.

RES says having “considerdered the project afresh”, which was for 22 wind turbines, it is now proposing 14 turbines. These would be positioned further away from housing than the original plans, which had prompted the formation of an action group to campaign against the plans.

The firm said it had launched a commitment to community consultation to coincide with the submission of a scoping request to Rutland County Council. The scoping request seeks guidance from the council on what technical and environmental assessments it would like RES to submit as part of a future planning application.

As part of the consultation, the firm has written to residents and key stakeholders notifying them of the scoping submission and asking for views. The firm will also consult with parish councils, Natural England and English Heritage.

It is also planning to hold a public exhibition in the summer with a view to submitting a full planning application in the autumn.

For details visit www.woolfox-windfarm.co.uk.

Meanwhile, West Coast Energy has formally withdrawn its application to build four 125m wind turbines near to Lyveden New Bield, a Grade I listed manor house.

In February, the Court of Appeal upheld a decision by the High Court to quash the previous planning permission given for the turbines. East Northamptonshire Council, the National Trust and English Heritage opposed the plans as they argued the development would have had a serious impact on “this important heritage asset”.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/04/06/wind-turbine-plan-scaled-back/