CFAG Formal Response
to Application
 CFAG
has submitted a very detailed response to the Npower
planning application at Cotton Farm. It was delivered
to the planning department in Huntingdon earlier this
month. The response also included alternative photograph
montages showing the true effect of the turbines on
our villages and surrounding area.
In outline, the Action Group’s objection to Npower’s
planning application centred on four main issues:
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The landscape of the South East and broader Cambridgeshire
claylands would suffer by the construction of the
proposed wind farm as it is too close to too many
villages and would dominate the Ouse Valley. |
|
The wind farm would have a major detrimental effect
on the setting of listed buildings in each of the
villages and in particular on the Grade II* Toseland
Hall. |
|
There would be serious damage to the visual and
recreational amenity of the area by the introduction
of incongruous, intrusive elements into views from
many viewpoints up to 20km away. |
|
There would be a detrimental impact on residential
amenity from the overbearing and oppressive relationship
of the wind turbines with the villages, compounded
by shadow flicker, road safety concerns and increased
levels of industrial noise alien to the tranquillity
of the area. |
From the detailed study made by CFAG, we consider that
the supporting material submitted by Npower is in many
respects misleading and that their assessments of the
impact of the scheme do not bear close examination.
The proposals do not comply with, and in some respects
are contrary to, the policies and guidance concerning
renewable energy development and development in rural
areas.
HDC will make a decision when the Development Control
Panel meets to discuss the planning application. This
could be in January or February 2009. We will publicise
the date as soon as it is known.
Meanwhile, South Cambridgeshire District Council will
be considering it's response. (The development site
borders South Cambs district and Graveley, the closest
village to the site, lies within South Cambs). CFAG
will be making representations to SCDC before SCDC makes
it's formal recommendations to HDC.
Parish Councils Vote Unanimously to Oppose
Graveley, Great Paxton, the Offords, Toseland and Yelling
parish councils have all voted on Npower's planning
application. And they have all voted to recommend that
HDC refuses the application. They were all unanimous.
There is Still Time to Make
Your Views Known
A planning application was submitted by Npower to Huntingdonshire
District Council on 30th July. The application and accompanying
Environmental Impact Assessment are available via the
HDC website. Follow
this link, then type in Application No. 0802296FUL
and click on the "Search" button.
Although the deadline for writtten submissions
to the planning officer has, technically, passed, any
letters sent will still be accepted - as long as they
are sent in very quickly!
Please write to your district councillor,
MP and the relevant planning officer at HDC. All the
addresses are available on
this site. Letters to Planning Services should
not be sent without the planning application reference
number (0802296FUL). See
below for guidance on relevant objections to include
in your letters.
Letters sent before the planning application was submitted
will need to be sent again, with the reference number
on.
Letters from individual residents are influential and
the more letters received, the stronger our case becomes.
There are a range of issues that you can cover, but
the ones that are considered ‘material’
for planning purposes are noise
pollution, visual
impact, problems for wildlife
and impacts on the settings
of listed buildings. In the light of recent turbine
collapses, safety issues may also be relevant, especially
for residents whose houses are closest to the proposed
turbines. Your letter need not be very long
- the main point is to register your objection.
Although many people will feel strongly about issues
such as house saleability and the scandal of high indirect
subsidies, these are not considered to be relevant planning
issues and, while letters can mention them, comments
on one or more of the ‘material’ issues
listed above must also be included. Shadow flicker may
be a problem for some homes, but as Npower now say they
can install sensors on turbines that will switch them
off at the times of day during which shadow flicker
has been identified as a problem, this is not a strong
weapon in our armoury.
We would urge all those over 18 in each household
to write - not just the householder.
Please click here for the
relevant mailing addresses. |
AGM
- 19th June
The
report concludes that:
