Residents in fresh chance to have say on controversial wind turbine plans 

Huge wind turbines could prove to be very noisy for locals, campaigners are warning – as residents get a new opportunity to register their view on the scheme.

Twenty-two wind turbines are being proposed for East Heckington Fen as part of the plan to generate green electricity.

The development has been the subject of multiple planning applications and an appeal during a period of almost seven years – and now residents have another chance to have their say.

In the latest twist the developer, Ecotricity, sought to extend the length of the turbine blades from 90m in diameter to 103m – making them longer than a football pitch.

Melvin Grosvenor, from campaign group Heck Off, said protesters had submitted their own impact assessment.

He said: “That delayed the Government making a decision and now we are in the third round of consultation.

“We are confident that if this gets built the possibility of noise impact is extremely high.

“We would like people to record their response to the plans.”

He added that he felt the amount of turbines are too big for the space.

The proposal to increase the length of the turbine blades caused an outcry from residents with 261 people and organisations registering an objection.

While the council was prepared to accept the application the campaign group, Heck Off, has forced the Secretary of State Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to reconsider.

The group commissioned its own noise assessment report and claimed Ecotricity had made mistakes when it looked at the potential noise pollution as part of its application.

In light of the proposal to use extended blades, the Secretary of State decided to allow further consultation on the scheme.

The closing date is January 31.

A report to the planning committee at North Kesteven District Council states: “The Secretary of State was requested to fully consider this in the assessment of the application and to seek an independent review of noise impact in order to inform his decision. No response to this letter has been received.

“Any responses received by BEIS will then feed into the Secretary of State’s eventual decision on the variation application.”

Those who would like to register a view should write to the Secreary of State at Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, c/o Keith Welford, Energy Infrastructure Planning, 3 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW or by emailing beisseip@beis.gov.uk

Ecotricity has rejected the campaigners’ noise assessment.

On their website it says: “Ecotricity has plans to build up to 22 wind turbines on agricultural land to the north of the A17 near Heckington in Lincolnshire.

“The scheme was granted consent by the Department of Energy and Climate Change – now Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy – in February 2013.

“In February 2015 we decided to apply for a variation of the original consent, largely based on altering some sections of the onsite access track, relocating the onsite substation and increasing the rotor diameter of the turbines to maximise the renewable energy generation of the site.”