Council backs residents with unanimous vote against wind turbine plans 

Campaigners have been humbled by a unanimous vote which brings them one step closer to opposing four wind turbines.

Winterton Town Council has supported its residents and all voted against plans to erect a wind farm on the Iron Stone Quarry site by developers, Waste Recycling Group (WRG).

In an extraordinary council meeting, campaigners gave one last push to persuade the Winterton mayor and her councillors to vote against the plans to erect four 127m high turbines located only 800m from properties.

In a unanimous vote, all 11 councillors present, including the mayor, backed residents in opposing the plans.

This news came as a huge relief to everyone but mainly Tina and Richard Ball, who have led the campaign group, Winterton Against Inappropriate Turbines (Wait).

Tina said: “It has been a long hard nine months but this news brings us that one step closer to refusing these wind turbines.

“We know we still have a long way to go and our fight is still not over but to now have the town council on our side is brilliant. Richard and myself have done the developers work in making sure residents understand what is going on.

“Since we started raising awareness our campaign group has just grown and without the support of all the residents now involved we would not have even got this far.

“We are by no means against renewable energy, but just do not want them so close to our home.

“Our work will still continue and we want residents in Winterton to submit their letters of objection to North Lincolnshire Council.

“We have templates on our Wait website which can help people write one correctly.

Richard Ball just wants this nightmare to stop and for the final decision at Pittwood House to go in favour of the campaigners.

He said: “I am delighted with the decision but there is still a long way to go.”

The turbines, if approved, would be even taller than the 125m towers at the Bagmoor site and would be capable of generating enough electricity to power up to 5,700 homes. WRG has operated the landfill site for 27 years and say that studies carried out by them have indicate that the site would be a suitable location for a wind-energy project.

Despite Winterton Town Council announcing it is against the plans, WRG believes there is a strong case for its planning application.

A spokesperson for WRG said: “The selection of the site is based on numerous feasibility studies including a rigorous assessment of technical and environmental aspects to ensure that the site selected is appropriate for development.

“WRG believes that the site is a suitable location for a wind energy project and the planning application will be judged on its merits by the planning officers.”

Residents in Winterton have until June 22 to lodge their objection letters with the council.

These can be done online or taken into Pittwood House in Ashby Road, Scunthorpe.

For templates to write a letter and for more information about the wind turbines, visit www.wintertonagainstinappropriateturbines.org.uk