January 30, 2016
England

Plug pulled on 4 wind turbines

Western Morning News | January 29, 2016 | www.westernmorningnews.co.uk

Countryside campaigners were celebrating tonight after four wind turbines schemes were dismissed by a planning inspector.

The four were all in the Torridge district in North Devon.

Plans for 77-metre wind turbines at Battledown Farm, Buckland Filleigh, and nearby at Badworthy Farm, Shebbear, plus an 84-metre turbine at Witherdon Woods, Broadwoodwidger, have all now been halted, following decisions by inspector Neil Pope.

A smaller 46-metre turbine at Southdown Farm, Yarnscombe, Barnstaple also failed at appeal.

Penny Mills from the Devon branch of the

Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), who had objected to the proposals, said the group was very pleased that the appeals had been dismissed.

“’Proposals for large commercial wind turbines at these sites have been in the pipeline for a number of years. There had been strong opposition to them right from the start, from the local community – from residents and the local parish councils – so I know that they will be very relieved that none of them will be going ahead.”

In his report for the Buckland Filleigh turbine, the inspector highlighted the unacceptable harm to the settings of important heritage assets including Buckland House together with harm to the appearance and character of the area.

Because of the large amount of opposition to the Badworthy wind turbine, the inspector said that “it could not reasonably be argued that the proposal has the backing of the affected local communities”.

Torridge District Council had originally refused permission for all four.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/01/30/plug-pulled-on-4-wind-turbines/