Council ignored again over wind farm
Campaigners have said Government planning inspectors are ignoring local opinions and undermining democracy after yet another East Riding wind farm was given the go-ahead.
Controversial proposals for the nine-turbine site next to the Holderness village of Withernwick, near Hornsea, have been approved following an appeal by developers.
The project, put forward by Energie Kontor UK, had originally been refused planning permission by East Riding Council.
But a planning inspector has now overturned that decision after a recent public inquiry held in Beverley.
It is the third time the council has been overruled by a Government inspector on proposals for renewable energy schemes.
Last week, East Riding Council leader Councillor Stephen Parnaby said the authority was being "stuffed" by inspectors who were now routinely upholding appeals against key decisions.
Now, campaigners fear the trend will continue and the council will be powerless to stop it.
Martin Bailey, who lives in Skerne, is a member of Wolds Wind Farm Opposition and has campaigned against a number of developments across the East Riding.
He said: "The whole system is fundamentally flawed and, if it continues as it is, we will be inundated with turbines.
"The applications and appeals are considered on evidence paid for by the developers.
"But if they are turned down, the developer can keep appealing until the planning inspectorate approves them.
"However, once they are passed, there is no redress and the considerations of the council and those who live in the area are not taken into account.
"The developers have all the power. That should be taken away from them and the planning inspectorate and passed back to the local authority, which knows the area.
"This is a crazy state of affairs and it is a statement of fact that local authorities are absolutely powerless to stop wind farm developments. And that is not democracy."
The council had rejected the Withernwick scheme on the grounds of landscape and visual impact issues.
Another council objection, based on the potential impact on radar and aircraft safety, fell by the wayside when the national civil aviation organisation NERL withdrew its opposition to the scheme.
The new wind farm will be built on land close to Homer House in Aldbrough Road.
Inspector Chris Gossip said: "This wind farm would be located in an essentially large-scale open landscape that, in general terms, is accommodating to wind farm developments, as well as being a favourable place to exploit the energy of the wind."
Each of the nine turbines will stand 111m (364ft) tall and the development is expected to generate enough electricity to power up to 12,500 homes a year.
Jacqueline Brayshaw, of Withernwick Parish Council, said: "I am disappointed, but not surprised by the decision because the Government seems determined to support these appeals, come what may."
The decision is the third recent defeat for the East Riding Council over applications for renewable energy developments in the area.
It follows decisions to overturn refusals for a wind farm at Routh and a straw-burning plant at Tansterne, near Aldbrough.
Councillor Jonathan Owen, deputy leader of the council, said: "This decision reinforces our fears we are having our authority taken away from us on major decisions.
"We take planning decisions with local knowledge and residents' views in mind."
There is currently an appeal pending on another wind farm at Tedder Hill in Roos, where energy giant Eon wants to build three 364ft (111m) turbines, which was rejected by the authority last year.
A spokeswoman for the Communities and Local Government department said: "The right of appeal against refusal of a planning permission is a long- established part of our democratic system.
"Parliament has given planning authorities the responsibility for development control in their areas in the first instance, but there is a need for affected landowners to have an appeal mechanism to test the merits of decisions."
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by Julie Gray, Hornsea
Saturday, April 25 2009, 3:16PM
“Once again money talks. This is madness and corruption all in one package. It is well known that these industrial steel environmentally damaging industrial turbines are not going to power anything except the need for more money. Pity the poor birds, bats and insects and not to mention the damage done to native flora. Eight thousand raptors (birds of prey ) have been killed in one year in America by turbines. We need to stand up and protest outside parliament .I will be doing this.
Julie”
by Don, Turbine Alley
Thursday, April 23 2009, 8:50PM
“Gustav
Cost effective? You have to be joking.
Even Professor Sir David King, who served as government chief scientific adviser from 2000 to 2007, has criticised the UK¿s drive for wind power and its results in causing fuel poverty:
'The EU needed to renegotiate a more achievable and less expensive target, and he added: "This is an issue which needs to be revisited and I say this as somebody who feels that we really have to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions very substantially but in my view it is an expensive, and not a very clever route to go for 35 to 40% on wind turbines." ('Poverty fears over wind power', BBC News , 4 September 2008).”
by Don, Turbine Alley
Thursday, April 23 2009, 8:39PM
“Gustav
Again, in reciting BWEA propaganda you are just plain wrong.
The wind industry and its apologists repeatedly suggest that wind turbines are the only 'mature' and 'proven' technology available. This is not true. Denmark, often cited as the shining example of wind power, actually produces much more power - and much more reliable power - from biomass (some 80% of renewable energy last time I checked).
The Teesport biomass power station, a compact industrial plant with a single 70-90 metre chimney, will occupy a brownfield, industrial site that is less than 10% of the area of a small (15MW) wind farm site. It will operate for some 8,000 hours per annum producing 2,400,000MWh of predictable, base load power.
The project scoping report notes:
"As the project will run 24 hours per day, 365 days per annum, it will generate as much renewable electricity as a 1,000MWe offshore wind farm (equivalent to that generated by the London Array wind farm which is one of the largest renewable energy projects in the world)".
The company state that this plant will save, ¿ approximately 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.¿
Oh, by the way, nobody has objected to this project! (And it creates employment).”
by Mr Smith, In a house
Thursday, April 23 2009, 5:55PM
“Will the turbines get more effiecient in time like most technology does? Im glad central govt is taking these stupid hillbilly's to task and excuse me but just what is the attraction in a flat featureless piece of land, in fact no please dont answer that last question.”
by Gustav, Wind
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 9:02PM
“Wind energy's role in combating climate change is not a matter of either-or. The UK will need a mix of new and existing renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures, and as quickly as possible. Significant amounts of investment have been allocated for wave and tidal energy development, and these technologies, along with solar and biomass energy, will have an important role in the UK's future energy mix. However, wind energy is the most cost effective renewable energy source available to generate clean electricity and help combat climate change right now.”