February 23, 2018
England

Go-ahead for wind turbines near Hadrian’s Wall

Hexham Courant | 20 February 2018 | www.hexham-courant.co.uk

Planning permission has been granted for two wind turbines in the heart of Hadrian’s Wall Country, near Bardon Mill.

The turbines will generate electricity for Longsyke Farm and its associated holiday cottage.

The farm is located just 1,300m from the Roman Wall, two miles north-west of the Sill National Landscape Disovery Centre, and 1.5 miles from the popular Steel Rigg car park.

The structures, which will stand at just over 15m to the tip of turbine, will also be located within Northumberland National Park.

Despite two objections, including one which described the proposed structures as “monstrosities”, conditional planning permission was granted by the Northumberland National Park Authority, on Tuesday .

In a planning statement, agent Brian Newman, acting on behalf of the applicants, Mr and Mrs Howard, said each turbine would generate 15,380KWh per year.

The statement also stressed that the turbines would not be visible from Housesteads Roman Fort or the Sill at Once Brewed.

And Mr Newman said the scheme would reduce energy costs at a cattle and sheep farm which had diversified to offer a five-star, gold standard holiday cottage accommodation and assist its aim to become carbon neutral.

He added: “We believe the turbines will be unnoticeable at distances over 500m and unintrusive below that.

“Unless training binoculars on the farm, the turbines will not be noticeable from Hadrian’s Wall.”

Objector Andrew Bailey, who lives at a neighbouring property, said the turbines would be visible from Hadrian’s Wall and would not be in keeping with the area.

Mr Bailey, who said the wind turbines would be visible from his front door, windows and garden, claimed he only found out about the application last week, and had not been consulted as part of the planning process.

He added: “I am surprised anybody would even consider putting up these monstrosities in a National Park.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/02/23/go-ahead-for-wind-turbines-near-hadrians-wall/