Fury as ‘unnatural’ larger wind turbine approved despite fears it could harm heritage sites 

Octopus Energy Generation has been given the green light to erect a taller and more powerful wind turbine in Cornwall, despite resistance from the local community.

The energy firm sought permission from Cornwall Council to upgrade an existing turbine with one that stands 22 metres higher, and boasts a blade “sweep” area two and a half times larger, on land west of Helsbury Park Woods, Michaelstow, near Bodmin. The proposal was brought before Cornwall Council’s east area planning committee on Monday (April 14), following objections from the parish council regarding potential damage to nearby heritage sites, local wildlife, and the impact on neighbouring homes.

The approved plan involves replacing the current Turbowind T400 turbine, which has a hub height of 28.4m, rotor diameter of 34m, and blade tip height of 45.4m, with a newer model that promises greater efficiency and a generating capacity of up to 900kW. The new turbine will have a hub height of 40m, rotor diameter of 54m, and a blade tip height of 67m.

According to the council’s planning department, upgrading the current turbine will support the county’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. However, the department also acknowledged that due to the increased size and height of the turbine, there will be some additional harm to the landscape, including an Area of Great Landscape Value.

Furthermore, the turbine’s increased height would make it more visible near Helsbury Castle, a protected ancient monument.

The planning department did note that the proposed turbine would be quieter than the existing one and ultimately recommended approval.

Dr Nicky Gilmour expressed her opposition to the Woodlands Farm Wind Turbine Repowering Project, stating: “The increased size inflicts the greatest adverse impacts to nearby homes, while delivering less than half of the energy to justify the imposition of such a large industrial machine.”

She pointed out the area’s untouched landscape, with no other man-made structures, making the turbine a significant development there. Cllr Richard Whitby of Michaelstow Parish Council has criticised a planning report for the proposed larger turbine, contesting its claim that it would not increase impacts or effects.

He said: “There is a clear link between the size of the turbine, how far it it set back from people and place and the magnitude of impact,” adding that the turbine’s presence in its current location will “obviously increase its impacts and effect to an unacceptably high and intolerably adverse level”.

Cllr Whitby described the turbine as the lone “incongruous and unnatural feature in the area of outstanding great landscape value”, stressing that at 67 metres tall, no form of landscape or vegetation could mitigate its visual impact and that iIt cannot be described as anything other than overbearing and overshadowing to those close by,” He added: “Despite what is claimed, there is no local support for this in any form.”

On the other side of the debate, Simon Johnson, representing the applicant, told the meeting that the repowering of older wind turbine sites with larger, more efficient machines significantly improves production on the same grid connection and consistently captures more wind speed to maximise renewable energy output.

The company opted for the smallest available turbine, despite many now exceeding 100 metres in height, according to Mr Johnson. He stated that this model would double the power output and potentially double production again if the grid connection is increased in the coming years without necessitating further development.

Mr Johnson also highlighted a projected 37 per cent biodiversity net gain, a quieter turbine than the existing one, no shadow flicker for residents due to an automated weather assessment system, voluntary community benefits, and the potential for cheaper local energy.

Local councillor Dominic Fairman revealed that since calling in the application, he and other councillors had visited a nearly identical turbine to understand possible mitigations for noise and flicker concerns.

Cllr Fairman noted that the council acknowledged limited harm to nearby heritage assets, including an Iron Age hill fort and a “very picturesque” Grade I listed parish church. He said: “This is where I believe we need to be true to our declaration of a climate emergency. It surely cannot be that we seek to protect all views from historic structures that are centuries or even millennia old as we ourselves face an existential crisis?”

While acknowledging some visual impact, Cllr Fairman recommended appropriate conditions and deemed the proposal policy compliant on balance. He expressed his belief that it should be approved.

Committee member Councillor John Fitter remarked, “We’ve got to think of the future, but we’ve got to think of the present as well and the present is where the people in that community are living.”

The proposal was put to a vote and subsequently passed.