June 20, 2014
England

Landfill site plan for wind turbine axed

Cornish Times | 20 June 2014 | www.looe-today.co.uk

People living near the Connon Bridge landfill site were celebrating this week after Cornwall Council announced it is not going ahead with plans to erect a giant wind turbine on the site. Last week the Cornish Times reported that local fears over the plans for the 100-metre turbine had been heightened after the project was included in a shortlist of seven council-owned sites across Cornwall which would be subject to further investigation into their suitability for wind-powered electricity generation. A series of consultation meetings got under way last week at which people living near the selected sites were able to view the proposals and discuss them with council representatives. But at the end of last week it was revealed that local ward members and St Pinnock Parish Council has been told that the Connon Bridge scheme would not be going ahead. A council spokesman told the Cornish Times: ‘The council is not progressing with the proposed wind turbine at this stage at Connon Bridge and is instead considering other renewable opportunities, and in particular is exploring the feasibility of installing solar panels on the site.’ Resident Doug Mills, one of the campaigners against the scheme, commented: ‘Their decision not to progress with the proposed wind turbine is a great relief. ‘The thought of such a huge, overpowering structure so close to East Taphouse and the hamlets close by did not bear thinking about.’ He said the predicted noise levels would have been intolerable and that, after years of noise from the landfill site, people were looking forward to some peace. ‘To have this destroyed by a wind turbine –potentially both day and night – for another 20 years was a major concern,’ he added. The proposal for solar panels could represent a reasonable compromise, said Mr Mills, if the council was intent on pursuing its ‘renewable opportunities. Putting them on the landfill site could be an appropriate use for the brownfield site, but it is early days and it remains to be seen what their plans are.’

Read more of this story in this week’s edition.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/06/20/landfill-site-plan-for-wind-turbine-axed/