We are very pleased to see that Allerdale's planning officers have recommended refusal on three applications for single turbines which will be determined at this month's Development Panel. It is a most welcome change. In fact, it is unheard of! Over the past two years, Allerdale's planning officers have only managed to bring themselves to recommend refusal on wind energy applications on three separate occasions. And now we have three such recommendations at a single Development Panel!
There is no room for complacency, of course, and we still need to make sure that the councillors are persuaded to reject these totally inappropriate proposals. If you can spare some time to come to the Development Panel and show support for the objectors who have opted to speak to the councillors, this will be very much appreciated. The discussions are conducted formally but it is permissible to come and go whilst the meeting is in progress. So, even if you can only spare an hour or so, please do come along and help us demonstrate to the Council that the proliferation of wind turbines in Allerdale is an issue which many of us care very deeply about.
The meeting is at 1pm on Tuesday 13th November at The Wave, Irish Street, Maryport.
In the meantime, comments on the three applications will still be accepted. If you have not already done so, please send in your objections. It is not necessary to submit anything long and complicated but, once again, it is very important to demonstrate that many of us feel the same way about these highly unsuitable schemes.
The application for a turbine at Clea Mire has not been on the books very long and has leapfrogged many others in the planning system. It is rather short of comments and could certainly do with some additional objections. Please feel free to 'borrow' from the FORCE comment if you so wish.
The 79.6m turbine proposed at Charity Lane, High Harrington, would most certainly add to the cumulative impact of wind energy development in that particular part of the Borough. It is yet another case where the developer's intention is to run an 800kW turbine throttled back to below 500kW in order to obtain the maximum feed in tariff. This is absolute madness! Even a fully committed advocate of onshore wind energy would have to admit that this is not a suitable turbine if it is going to have to be derated.
Same developer as above, the 61m turbine proposed in the village of Boltongate would ruin the setting of the historic All Saints Church and impact severely on a number of homes nearby.
There is a fourth wind energy application to be heard this month. It is for a met mast (anemometer) at Brackenridge, Maryport. This application is recommended for approval by the planning officers. However, we must point out that the applicant, Empirica Investments, already has a met mast on the neighbouring property! If you think that this is a mast too far and that it is not acceptable for a single developer to erect a series of masts in close proximity to each other, you may wish to send an objection to this application. Despite the planning officer's recommendation, it may still be possible to persuade the councillors that this constitutes unnecessary development.
It is impossible to be certain what, if anything, has brought about the this month's apparent change in approach by planning officers. It may simply be a coincidence that three applications have simultaneously bucked the established trend and collected recommendations for refusal. Perhaps it has something to do with the announcement at national level by DECC minister, John Hayes, that 'enough is enough' and that our countryside is now 'peppered' with wind turbines.
Other ministers spent the rest of the day sniping at Mr Hayes but let's not allow them to forget what he said. Now is a very good time to write to our MPs reiterating our concerns.
After much lobbying and regular attendance at Development Panel meetings, perhaps it is also just possible that our planning officers are beginning to take notice of what we are telling them at local level too! I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many members of FORCE who have provided invaluable help and assistance over recent difficult months during which unprecedented numbers of wind energy applications have poured into Allerdale.
One further date for the diary: our friends at Rosley will be holding a public meeting in Rosley Village Hall on Thursday 29th November. This will begin with a drop-in session from 3.30pm , with a full public meeting at 7.30pm . This is to share information and discuss what action the community wishes to take in preparation for the expected wind farm application at Carwath. All are welcome.
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