October 8, 2015
England

Hartlepool’s giant wind turbines: Secretary of State will decide

Hartlepool Mail | Wednesday 07 October 2015 | www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk

A planning application for three huge wind turbines will be decided by the Secretary of State after ministers took the decision to call in the proposal.

A public inquiry will now be held into plans to build the towering structures, which would be taller than Blackpool Tower, after the plan was called in by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

The proposal for the 574ft-tall structures, on land at Graythorp Industrial Estate and Tofts Road West are being developed by 
Hartlepool renewable energy company Seneca Global Energy.

They were approved by Hartlepool Borough Council in February but that will be looked at again by the Planning Inspectorate.

The move comes after up to 30 to 40 people had contacted the Department for Communities and Local Government asking it to intervene.

A spokesman for the Seaton Carew Wind Turbine Action Association said: “We are really pleased that the Government has seen sense to call in the application and hopefully we will be successful in stopping the turbines going ahead.”

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark will either make the final decision on the application, or it will be done by one of his ministers in his name.

The reasons behind the application being called in centre largely around the environment.

The turbines were originally meant be 655ft (200 metres) high, they were reduced to 574ft (175m).

Hartlepool Borough Council could receive £157,000 a year in rent from the proposed turbine at Brenda Road West Industrial Estate, which is on the local authority’s land.

The inquiry could see the Planning Inspectorate staging oral sessions to hear from all interested parties involved in the case or conduct the inquiry by means of consultation in writing.

A spokesman for Hartlepool Borough Council said: “We were made aware yesterday of the decision by the Department for Communities and Local Government to call in three planning applications in relation to wind turbines in the town.

“We are now waiting for further information from the Planning Inspectorate in relation to timescales for the local inquiry.”

A date has not yet been set for when the inquiry will take place.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/10/08/hartlepools-giant-wind-turbines-secretary-of-state-will-decide/