January 11, 2016
England

Wind farm scheme scrapped after rules change

By Keith Rossiter | Western Morning news | January 11, 2016 | www.westernmorningnews.co.uk

Plans for a large wind farm proposed at Ashwater near Holsworthy have been dropped.

EDF Energy Renewables withdrew a planning application last year but said it would come back with a revised application for Hollow Panson wind farm.

But yesterday the company confirmed that it will not be proceeding with its proposal to develop a wind farm on a site East of Chapman’s Well, near St Giles on the Heath in North Devon because of a change in government policy on onshore wind power.

“After considering the project in relation to government announcements on onshore wind, the company has confirmed that it does not intend to take its plans any further and will not be submitting a revised planning application for the site,” a spokesman said.

The original planning application for the Hollow Panson scheme was submitted in December 2012 and proposed the development of a six turbine, 12MW wind farm. The wind turbines would have stood up to 115 metres (377ft) tall.

“This is extremely welcome news and a great relief to local residents,” Penny Mills said.

Opponents, concerned about the visual and environmental impact that the turbines on the area, won the backing of Geoffrey Cox, MP for Torridge and West Devon, who pledged to oppose every new commercial wind farm in his constituency.

EDF Energy Renewables said it did not have any existing wind farm development plans in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset or Somerset.

The company operates the Cold Northcott wind farm in Cornwall. In October last year it decided not to appeal against Sedgemoor District Council’s refusal of a wind farm project near the village of Puriton, in Somerset.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/01/11/wind-farm-scheme-scrapped-after-rules-change/