Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has refused permission for three onshore wind projects with a combined total of 12 turbines, and in the process he differed with inspectors’ recommendations to allow two of the three recovered appeals.
Planning Portal writes:
The Secretary of State rejected proposals for five wind turbines refused by South Northamptonshire Council between the villages of Greatworth and Helmdon. He also refused a four-turbine project opposed by Aylesbury Vale District Council for a site between the villages of Stoke Hammond and Soulbury.
In addition the minister turned down a three-turbine proposal earmarked for a landfill site at Winterton, originally refused by North Lincolnshire Council.
In the case of the first, five-turbine, scheme the minister disagreed with the inspector and concluded that Broadview Energy’s wind farm should be rejected because of harm to heritage assets and visual amenity.
The SoS agreed with the inspector who held the recovered appeal into EDF Energy and Force 9 Energy’s four-turbine project. He agreed that the benefits of the scheme did not outweigh the harm to heritage assets and planning policies.
He also disagreed with the inspector who considered FCC Environmental (UK) Ltd’s three-turbine facility. The SoS was particularly concerned at the impact of the project on the setting of the nearby Grade ll* listed St Etheldreda’s.
Download the Stoke Hammond decision letter
Download the Winterton decision letter
Download the Greatworth and Helmdon decision letter
