June 18, 2014
England

Stocksfield wind turbine plan rears its head again

Hexham Courant | 17 June 2014 | www.hexhamcourant.co.uk

A planning appeal has been lodged for a controversial wind turbine twice the height of the Angel of the North in Stocksfield.

Plans for a 46.5m high wind turbine on land at Mickley Grange Farm were refused permission by Northumberland County Council.

Villages raised concerns about the application when it was first made in April 2013.

The turbine would be built 250m north-east of the farm, with a rotor height of 31.5m and overall tip height of 46.5m.

At more than double the height of the 20m Angel of the North, the proposal sparked a raft of complaints about the potential noise and visual impact.

And, despite winning support from the parish council, the application by George Charlton was rejected.

But on May 14, an appeal was lodged with the planning inspectorate.

At Stocksfield Parish Council’s June meeting, some councillors spoke out against it.

Coun. John Davison said: “Three or four of the people who supported it originally have since left the council, which has left us in an awkward position now.

“The sound when the wind is in the right direction will affect a lot of people in the village. I personally voted against it last time.”

Coun. Davison’s views were echoed by other councillors who proposed that the council reversed its support of the application.

However, it was decided that the parish council would instead write to the planning inspectorate, asking for certain issues to be taken into account.

Council chairman Coun. Maggi Hunt said:“We have in the past changed our view on a planning application; that has happened.

“We will put a letter together to re-enter the points made – issues about the route to the site, the visual impact and the noise. We will write and ask for them to be taken into account.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/06/18/stocksfield-wind-turbine-plan-rears-its-head-again/