Local campaigners have expressed their delight after a planning inspector backed a council refusal to build a wind farm near Oldbury-on-Severn, South Gloucestershire.
Widely known as the ‘Stoneyard Lane Wind Farm‘ because of a public right of way accessing the site, the proposed development involved the construction of four 127m (to blade tip) wind turbines, one 80m ‘anemometry mast’ and other associated infrastructure.
Last year South Gloucestershire Council refused permission for the scheme, but the developer – Wind Prospect Developments Limited – then appealed to the independent Planning Inspectorate.
But in his concluding remarks, the inspector backed the council’s refusal, saying:
“the proposed development would have serious implications for the character and appearance of the rural surroundings in terms of landscape, the historic environment and the amenity of public rights of way, so serious in my opinion that they outweigh the benefits of renewable energy production.”
Local campaigners believe this ruling has significant implications for another proposed wind farm development at the nearby village of Ingst, which is in the Green Belt.
Conservative councillor for Severn ward, Matthew Riddle, said:
“I am delighted with this result because it represents a victory for common sense and people power.”
“Local people put in a huge amount of effort into resisting this development and protecting the landscape and so they can be really pleased that their hard work has paid off.”
He added:
“This ruling also has huge implications for the proposed wind farm development at Ingst because not only do you have the same serious implications for the local landscape that you had at Oldbury, but the Ingst site would also be in the Green Belt.”
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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council
In an article on the BBC Bristol website today, Jonny Murphy, development manager from Wind Prospect is quoted as saying:
“We are extremely disappointed that our appeal was dismissed.”
Read more: Oldbury-on-Severn wind farm appeal is rejected