| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Giant Leeds wind farm gets green belt go-ahead
Credit: Yorkshire Evening Post, www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk 10 December 2011 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
A controversial plan for a wind farm on green belt land outside Leeds has been given the go-ahead
A Government inspector has overturned a Leeds City Council decision to reject the proposal.
The inspector ruled in favour of developers Banks Renewables, part of the Durham-based Banks mining and energy group, giving them permission to build five 260-feet high wind turbines at Hooks Moor Farm, next to the M1-A1 link near Micklefield to the east of Leeds. Taking the height of the blades into account the turbines will top 390 feet.
Local residents formed the Hook Moor Wind Farm Action Group which campaigned against the plan, and there were objections from the Ramblers’ Association and the Open Spaces Society.
Click here to register and have your say on the stories and issues that matter to you
Banks appealed against the council’s decision and lost. The appeal decision was overturned in the High Court. The issue was then taken to a public inquiry.
Government Inspector Philip Major headed the inquiry on behalf of the Government’s Environment and Communities Departments in Leeds Civic Hall in November.
Banks says the turbines will create enough energy for more than 8,000 homes without producing environmentally-damaging greenhouse gases.
In his written ruling, the Inspector said: “The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for the erection of five wind turbines, improvements to highway access, underground cabling, access tracks, control building, temporary wind monitoring mast 80m high, temporary construction compound and associated development on land at Hook Moor, Micklefield, Leeds, West Yorkshire in accordance with the terms of the application.”
Among conditions imposed with the ruling is a 25-year lifespan for the turbines.
Campaigners expressed “extreme disappointment” with the decision.
Carolyn Walker, of the Hooks Moor Wind Farm Action Group, said: “My instinctive reaction is to say that it is extremely disappointing that the views and considerations of local people are not taken into account.”
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=16542 ]
