Villagers prepared to continue their fight if wind farm decisions are appealed
Residents living in a tiny village say their community spirit will see off plans for two giant wind farms on their doorstep.
The two separate schemes at Spaldington, near Howden, were rejected earlier this week by East Riding planning councillors.
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Jack, 9, and Beth Harper, 12, with Spaldington villagers
The decisions are now expected to be challenged in appeals by the two energy companies involved, Falck Renewables and Volkswind.
But village campaigners say they are confident their arguments will again win the day if public inquiries are held into the two schemes.
Richard Kettlewell, chairman of the Spaldington Turbine Opposition Project group, said: "They may well go to appeal, but we are quite confident we will win.
"This issue has pulled an already closely knit community together in so many ways. We are just a small village in lovely countryside, but that countryside means so much to the people who live there."
More than 800 letters of objection against the two developments were submitted to the council.
Seven local parish councils also objected, along with Howden Town Council, Haltemprice and Howden MP David Davis and Euro MEP Godfrey Bloom.
If given the go-ahead, the two wind farms would have stood on either side of the village.
Councillor Paul Robinson, who moved refusal on both applications, said approving the two schemes would mean no fewer than 90 wind turbines within a 12-and-half mile radius of the village.
He also said the two proposed wind farms would see a total of 53 properties within 1,000 metres of the nearest turbine.
He said: "To site turbines this close to people's home is absolute madness."
Councillor Bob Tress said the proximity of the proposed turbines to residential properties broke "new ground" in the consideration of wind farm applications in the East Riding.
He said: "There has to be a marker laid down to say how close can you go?"
Brian Denney, a consultant for Volkswind, said other public inquiry decisions on wind farm schemes discounted proximity to residential properties as a reason for refusal.
He claimed noise mitigation measures would be enough to minimise the impact on people living nearby.
4 Comments
by Dengie Boy, Burnham-on-Crouch
Monday, September 06 2010, 9:37PM
“Excuse me John, but I live in East Essex and I do not support the development of these commercial wind power stations at Spaldington. How does that make me a NIMBY?
My reasoned objections to them here (in my back yard), apply to anywhere else on this crowded island where there is a low wind resource (such as this proposed site).”
by John Sturman, East Riding of Yorkshire
Monday, September 06 2010, 4:36PM
“Its such a shame that Nimbyism is hampering the development of renewable energy in the UK. A stance of not siting turbines closer than 1km to houses is ludicrous. What about roads, electricity pylons, mobile phone masts? Are we to site these infrastructure developments 1km from houses on the grounds of noise or visuals? If so then nothing will progress in this country. Do those that object use electricity? The sites in question are NOT natural landscapes that should be protected. They are industrially farmed landscapes that have been created by human activity. This includes the un-natural fences, agricultural sheds, oil seed rape crops, golf course etc.
We must prevent a small group of luddites from hampering the progress of this countries energy supply switch from fossil fuels to modern renewable and sustainable energy.”
by John Sturman, East Riding of Yorkshire
Monday, September 06 2010, 4:34PM
“Its such a shame that Nimbyism is hampering the development of renewable energy in the UK. A stance of not siting turbines closer than 1km to houses is ludicrous. What about roads, electricity pylons, mobile phone masts? Are we to site these infrastructure developments 1km from houses on the grounds of noise or visuals? If so then nothing will progress in this country. Do those that object use electricity? The sites in question are NOT natural landscapes that should be protected. They are industrially farmed landscapes that have been created by human activity. This includes the un-natural fences, agricultural sheds, oil seed rape crops, golf course etc.
We must prevent a small group of luddites from hampering the progress of this countries energy supply switch from fossil fuels to modern renewable and sustainable energy.”
by Dengie Boy, Burnham-on-Crouch
Monday, September 06 2010, 11:09AM
“This is a good result, democracy has again prevailed.
I note that Vicky Portwain is the project manager for Spaldington Airfield; mention Bradwell 2005 to her. At that time she worked for NPower Renewables - before we drove her out in tears!
There is no mention in the report of letters of support? But I see that Richard Claxton of greencampaigns.co.uk is heading up the Facebook campaign - so no doubt Bryan Norris and Jonathan Lincoln (Yes2Wind) set up their pasting table in your towns and villages, collecting signatures on pro-forma letters. We understand that they get paid per supporting signature collected; now wouldn't that be nice.”