The Communities Secretary has refused a development of six wind turbines in Cambridgeshire, citing the potential visual impact on the setting of a listed thatch cottage, and harm to the setting of conservation areas as reasons for refusal.
Matters of particular interest to those considering the effects of development on heritage assets include the following statements within the decision notice:
- ‘the 6 turbine scheme would result in just less than substantial harm to the setting of some listed buildings and in particular to the setting of Bythorn Church and Scotts Farmhouse. It would also result in some but lesser harm to Keyston Church and to the setting of other listed buildings within the Bythorn Conservation Area, minor harm to the setting of Molesworth Church, and minor or negligible harm to the setting of other listed buildings’(para 28)
- the harm caused by the 6 turbine scheme to the significance of Bythorn Conservation Area falls just below the level of substantial harm but is nonetheless significant. (para 30)
- ..some harm would arise from seeing the moving turbine blades incongruously above the roof of a listed thatched cottage in a typically traditional rural village setting (para 30).
