Relief as ‘War Horse valley’ wind turbine appeal is dismissed 

A campaign group devoted to protecting rural England has welcomed a decision to refuse planning permission for a wind turbine in the “beautiful War Horse valley”.

Sukie Tamplin, a planning inspectorate has dismissed an appeal for planning permission for the siting of a wind turbine, measuring 50m to hub, at Bryony Hill Farm, Iddesleigh in Winkleigh.

The applicant, Martin Goddard, launched an appeal to the planning inspectorate against the council’s decision.

The planning inspectorate said in her report, published on July 6, the main issues in the appeal were whether the “benefits of the proposal, including the production of energy from a renewable resource would outweigh any harmful impacts”.

The document stated: “I find that the harm identified to the setting of important heritage assets, to the qualities of the landscape and to living conditions substantially outweighs the benefits of the proposal. Consequently the proposal would conflict with the underlying aims of the development plan policies which seek to support proposals that would have a positive effect on the landscape and conserve heritage assets.”

In a joint statement, Penny Mills and Phil Bratby, of Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Devon, said they were delighted with the news.

They said: “Regarding the recent ministerial statements regarding onshore wind turbines, we welcome the fact that the government is now at last aware of the devastating effects that wind turbines are having on our countryside and on the people who live and work within it, which can so clearly be seen locally.

“We also welcome the fact that the government is now saying that only wind turbine applications that have the support of the local community would be able to be approved.”

They both touched on the area of Iddesleigh, which was made famous following author Michael Morpurgo’s publication of War Horse.

They added: “This proposal in the beautiful War Horse

valley quite clearly did not have the support of the majority of local people, as the overwhelming majority objected to it.

“CPRE Devon are delighted with the decision as is the local community.

“This proposal has been like a dark cloud hanging over

the area for a very long time – it’s two years since the screening opinion was first submitted, so the decision is a great relief.”

Roger Chubb, a director of Mi-Grid Energy, the company behind the appeal said he was “disappointed” by the decision.

He said: “At the end of the day we have a democratic system and the application has been through the consultation process, through to the local authority and finally to the inspectorate where we have failed on planning grounds.”

He said the government’s changes regarding onshore wind turbines would have a huge effect on the future of the countryside.

He added: “People are like ostriches. They stick their heads in the ground and do not understand about climate change and the impact it is really going to have.

“It’s all well and good CPRE talking about saving rural Devon but in 20 to 30 years’ time we will not have a rural Devon to protect because of climate change.”