January 28, 2015
England

Protest over new plans for wind turbine at Harberton farm

Herald Express | January 28, 2015 | www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk

An application for a bigger wind turbine has been lodged at a farm in Harberton, near Totnes.

In 2012 an application was turned down by South Hams Council at the same location. Now AE Chudley and Son has applied for planning permission to erect a wind turbine with a 36.9m hub height – 3.6m taller than the previous application – and 49.9m blade tip height in an agricultural field at Foales Leigh Farm.

Agent Constantine Wind Energy said in its design and access statement the owners of Foales Leigh Farm were trying to provide alternative sources of income.

“It is submitted that any impacts identified are far outweighed by the economic and environmental benefits the proposed development would bring,” it said.

“Wind turbine technology has improved and the model proposed gives much greater efficiency at more or less the same scale as that proposed in the previous application… with a slightly bigger rotor diameter – 26m in comparison to the previous 23m.”

It says the site is around 430m from the nearest residential property – further than the previous application.

Harberton residents claim it would ‘have greater impact and cause more problems’ than the original application, which was turned down by 15 votes to four.

They say it would cause significant harm to the landscape, unacceptable noise disturbance and an adverse impact on visual amenity.

Sally Lougher, who claims her home is 416m from the proposed turbine, said: “I’m living in fear, as is my elderly neighbour. We were upset by the previous application, especially the likelihood of noise disturbance, and now we’re even more afraid. This will also be an issue for neighbours who have young children.”

Comments for or against the application, reference number 23/0041/15/F, can be made to the planners at www.southhams.gov.uk

Plans have also been lodged with South Hams Council for wind turbines near Dartmouth.

Dittisham parish councillor Keith Wotton has submitted an application for a turbine with a 30.52m hub height and 45.07m blade tip height at Downton Park Farm, Dittisham, planning reference 18/0119/15/F.

An application has also been submitted for a turbine with a 24.6m hub height and 34.2m tip height at West Norton Farm, Capton, near Dartmouth, reference 18/0048/15/F.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/01/28/protest-over-new-plans-for-wind-turbine-at-harberton-farm/