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Planning Inspectorate over rules Council on windfarm
NEWS that the Planning Inspectorate has
overturned Harrogate Borough Council's decision to refuse planning
permission for eight 320ft wind turbines at Knabs Ridge has been
met with disbelief.
Npower Renewables appealed against the council's decision to
refuse them planning permission and a Government Planning Inquiry
took place in August.
At the Inquiry, the company accepted that the windfarm would
have an impact on its surrounding landscape but claimed "the area
in this case just was not important enough to justify refusing a
windfarm development."
Local people and the council don't agree.
These turbines will be built just 50ft away from the district's
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty one of only 36 in England.
Concerns were also voiced by the Civil Aviation Authority and
Leeds Bradford International Airport in regard to possible
interference with air traffic.
Councillor Richard Cooper, Cabinet Member for Planning,
said: "This decision
flies in the face of common sense. For a
Government Inspector to come to our district and ignore all the
good planning reasons why these towering metal structures should
not be allowed is a smack in the face to local people and the local
council. Even safety fears voiced by the
country's top aviation authority for the effect on air traffic
radar were shunted aside.
"A large number of conditions have been attached to the
Government
Inspector's planning permission but even these cannot really
mitigate against such massive turbines set against such a
picturesque and beautiful background."
At the Inquiry, the council argued that the windfarm will
damage the landscape and the cumulative effect of the development
in close proximity to Menwith Hill military installation will
further industrialise the area.
The key paragraph taken from the conclusions from the
Inspector's 27 page Decision Letter is as follows:
As is common in planning decisions it is necessary
to strike a balance between conflicting
interests. In this balance, the need to provide
energy from renewable sources, as set out in national policy and
the Regional Spatial Strategy carries considerable
weight. For this region, and sub-region it is a
pressing need, bearing in mind the large scale of the shortfall
between current provision and policy based
targets. The proposed development would have
some harmful effects on the landscape and in other visual respects
such as spoiling the view from residential
properties. Any adverse impact on aviation, with
particular reference to operation at Leeds Bradford International
Airport, would be minor, and not such as to justify refusing
planning permission. There are concerns with
regard to some other effects such as highway safety, but again on
the evidence before me these do not justify refusing
permission.
FURTHER INFORMATION: Councillor
Richard Cooper is available for comment on 07957 844380 or via
Lynne Mee on 01423 556022.
Full copies of the Planning Inspector's Decision
Letter should be requested from the Planning Inspectorate via
email enquiries@pins.gsi.gov.uk
quoting appeal reference
APP/E2734/A/O4/1161332.