8:20am Friday 12th March 2010
Objectors to a Craven wind farm plan are celebrating after a government inspector ruled it out.
Inspector John Braithwaite said this week that the lives of residents of a farm would be made intolerable and blighted for a generation if the five 100-metre-high turbines were built.
There would be a ‘very serious adverse effect’ on Ash Tree Farm – just 650 metres from the nearest turbine planned for Brightenber Hill, West Marton – he said.
“If the appeal was to be allowed and the resultant permission was to be implemented, the Coates family would be living within a wind farm landscape and the five turbines would dominate their property and their lives,” he said.
But Mr Braithwaite said the argument of Craven District Council and others that the turbines would have a serious impact on the landscape and nearby listed buildings was outweighed by the long-term benefits of the scheme.
“The adverse effect of the proposed wind farm, to varying degrees, on the character of the landscape, on the settings of heritage assets and on residential amenity at many properties, is collectively outweighed by the long-term environmental and economic benefits of the renewable energy scheme,” he said.
Chris Emmett, from the Friends of Craven Landscape said the pressure group was delighted.
“Our campaign was about the human issues and it’s wonderful local and national planning authorities see things the same way,” he said.
“Many, many thanks to our supporters and, of course, to Craven District Council, with whom it was a great pleasure to work.”
Wind turbines company EnergieKontor (UK) said it was not completely disheartened and would consider its options.
Mr Braithwaite published his decision following a five-day public inquiry in January into EnergieKontor’s appeal against the refusal of permission by Craven District Council in December 2008.
The inquiry, held at the council’s Granville Street offices, heard evidence from the council, Friends of Craven Landscape (FoCL) and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
It also heard representations from experts that the development would have a serious impact on nearby listed buildings Gledstone Hall – designed by celebrated architect Sir Edwin Lutyens – Ingthorpe Grange and Hellifield Peel.
The inquiry also heard evidence that the turbines had the potential to frighten horses using nearby Craven Country Ride and public bridlepaths. Mr Braithwaite said riders would be at their closest 200 metres from a turbine, but pointed out horses were unlikely to be “spooked” by a development that had not sprung up overnight.
“Local riders who use the bridleways even infrequently would have sufficient opportunity to acclimatise their horses to the new additions in the landscape,” he said.
But he concluded that the impact on Ash Tree Farm was too great and not outweighed by the benefits of the renewable energy scheme.
“The wind turbines would dominate the farmland between the farmhouse and the site to an even greater extent and time spent by the family working the land would be accompanied by both the presence of the towers and hubs and by the turning blades,” he said.
“Whilst on the farm, the Coates family would have little respite from the presence of the wind turbines and, most importantly, their enjoyment of their place of residence would be significantly undermined.
Coun Richard Welch, chairman of the council’s planning committee, said it was a great result for the council and objectors. “It was clear to the planning committee when they took the decision to refuse the application that the wind farm in that location would have a significant impact on the landscape and residents especially those at Ash Tree Farm,” he said.
“Although the planning inspector concluded that the requirement for renewable energy outweighed the impact on landscape character and heritage, he did find that the wind farm would have a significant impact on residents living at Ash Tree Farm which would blight their lives for a generation.”
Conrad Atkinson, of EnergieKontor (UK), said the company was disappointed but not completely disheartened by the decision.
“We are disappointed by the outcome, but its not all negative. There are lots of positives in the report,” he said, adding that it was too early to say what the company would do now, but it was considering its options.
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