Wind farm protester's planning warning
A wind farm protester has warned the local planning procedure could become obsolete as the latest public inquiry begins.
Cherie Blenkin, of South Holderness Opposes Wind Turbines, believes the arguments are so strong against the plans by Renewable Energy Systems (RES) that a damaging precedent will be set if they are given the go-ahead.
RES wants to build nine turbines on land off Rectory Road in Roos.
The plans were rejected by East Riding councillors last year due to the visual impact, the detrimental effect on conservation areas, flood risk and the cumulative impact.
An inquiry into the development was due to start at 10am this morning at County Hall in Beverley.
Mrs Blenkin said: "This application has been rejected three times and is the most significant to date because it doesn't follow procedure.
"The location choice is wrong and needs to go back to the drawing board.
"There has to be a strategic approach.
"If the Government is inclined to pass all wind farm applications then why waste taxpayers' money by having council planning officers.
"Just get rid of them and have these applications rubber-stamped.
"If this is approved there will be no planning policy left.
"All the local policies which have been developed over the years won't be worth the paper they're written on."
But Mrs Blenkin remains determined to fight on.
She said: "I am speaking at the inquiry because I still believe we need to be a voice and the impact of wind farms would be far greater otherwise.
"Our battles have always been about location and no one know more about this than local people.
"We have already managed to reduce this development from 11 turbines to nine.
"Wind farms bring in no sustainable development so the Government should at least invest in the East Riding with better tourism and sports facilities and more regeneration."
In appealing the decision in October, Annette Deveson, RES's head of development, said: "The council's planning officer argued that any local impacts would be limited and not sufficiently large as to outweigh the benefits from the generation of clean, green renewable energy."
10 Comments
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by Witchbain, Roos
Thursday, March 11 2010, 7:29AM
“Starnge how most people commenting don`t live in the Roos area so don`t have a clue about local flooding on the proposed site ,which occurs regularly. Adding 8,000 tons of concrete into the ground should really improve the situation. Give me Nuclear power any day - power stations give us our base line supply of electricity and are the only means of supplying continuous power. Live in the `dark` ages if you wish with your windmills ,but this is the 21st century ,not the Middle Ages.”
by Nigel, West Hull
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 8:46PM
“Just chuck `em up and stop messing around!
Tip: Do it in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep!”
by Simon, Saltend
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 3:32PM
“Flood risk?
That's a new one!”
by RP, Market Weighton
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 11:02AM
“We will all pay if we don't build this type of energy provider and build alternatives - nuclear, coal etc. I have live alongside them in Germany before and would have them in my 'backyard' now.
These objections are overruled for the common good and quite rightly, these endless public enquiries serve little purpose and drain the East Ridings financial reserves.
Those who object are a loud voice, but how big a minority are they? A referendum might show that the majority support the development? It might even be cheaper than a public enquiry, which merely lets the minority speak.”
by Richard, Middlewich
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 10:02AM
“@ Nigel
Operating at 30% installed capacity numerous studies show that a wind turbine pays back its carbon cost of construction, transport and installation after about 6-9 months. The lifetime of wind farms are generally set at planning for 25 years.”