Proposal for 22 huge wind turbines could have ‘harmful impact’ say opponents 

A plan to replace one of the UK’s first wind farms with turbines which are more than double the size of those currently on the site has caused huge concern in a rural area of Cornwall. A planning committee will consider next week whether 22 115-metre high turbines will have a harmful impact on the landscape.

Cold Northcott Windfarm Ltd has proposed repowering and extending its site at Laneast, near Launceston, including the removal of 23 existing wind turbines and replacing them with 22 turbines up to 115 metres (377 feet) to tip. The existing wind turbines are 41.5m to blade tip. The development would be operational for 35 years.

The tallest onshore wind turbine in the UK is 150 metres high. The average height for a turbine in this country is 76 metres, so the proposed wind farm would be among the tallest in the UK.

It is being considered by the first strategic planning committee of the new Cornwall Council administration on Thursday, June 12 at the discretion of the Chief Planning Officer in light of the significant scale of the development, objections received from third parties and some consultees, and the benefits of the development in generating renewable energy. The application is recommended for conditional approval.

There are over 140 public comments concerning the application on the council’s planning portal. Many people support the plan to replace “redundant, archaic eyesores of wind turbines” with “new, effective, efficient three-bladed turbines”. However, the vast majority of people who have commented are opposed to the development.

St Clether Parish Council held a public meeting to discuss the application, with a “clear majority” of residents and landowners in the area voting against the proposals. Reasons included “the vast size of the proposed turbines compared to what had been on the original site”, noise and flicker, the effect on the area’s ‘dark skies’ designation, effect on wildlife, possible distraction to drivers using the nearby A395 and the visual impact from a distance.

The proposed development is likely to produce 66,000 MWh of renewable energy per year, which is equivalent to the needs of 22,758 homes – ten per cent of homes in Cornwall. A planning committee report states: “Considering also the high wind resource availability and that the proposed development has a guaranteed grid connection, it is therefore likely to make an early, and significant contribution, to achieving local and national objectives.”

However, the planning department notes that the proposed wind farm would give rise to significant adverse effects to the landscape and would be visible from sections of the nearby protected National Landscapes (formerly the area of outstanding natural beauty). A small part of the site also falls within an Area of Great Landscape Value and would harm the settings of several Grade II listed historic farm buildings.

However, the planning department notes mitigating factors, including its position in the landscape and the fact that there are relatively few homes in the surrounding area. The report states that the benefits of the application would outweigh any harm.

Laneast Parish Council has also opposed the proposal, stating: “The very height of the turbines and the larger area must mean that they will be more of an intrusion into the lives of more people. Obviously if the planning application had indicated re-powering using a smaller maximum height with a smaller footprint, then our decision could have been different.”

However, neighbouring Tresmeer Parish Council did not oppose the development and noted that several members of the public supported the plan.

Poundstock councillor Nicky Chopak said: “I have become increasingly concerned about the application. In detail, the lack of community engagement, the increasing number of comments relating to landscape impact, over exaggeration of ‘repowering’ and the impact on the rural community in flicker, transport impacts and noise to name but a few.”

Other consultees, such as the Environment Agency, Highways and Natural England have not objected. However, the council’s landscape officer said that although the development is within an area set out by Cornwall Council to be suitable for wind energy generation, it is considered that the number of turbines proposed is contrary to the council’s own guidance. Cornwall National Landscape also objects due to the plan’s “harmful effects” on the landscape.

The strategic planning committee will consider the application at 10am on Thursday, June 12 at Lys Kernow / County Hall in Truro.