Overjoyed campaigners who fought plans for a new wind farm near Burnham-On-Sea say they are “extremely pleased” by Sedgemoor District Council’s decision this week to throw out a controversial planning application for four giant wind turbines.
Broadview Energy wanted to construct the 130-metre tall wind turbines on land at Pilrow Farm, south of Rooksbridge.
Campaigners from NoPilrow, the group fighting against the plans, have welcomed the decision.
The group’s David Maund told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are extremely pleased that this application has been refused by the Sedgemoor planners on a number of grounds but especially in terms of ‘an unacceptable visual intrusion into the Somerset Levels… with the character of the area being significantly undermined’.”
“The planning department have made the obvious point that the size of these turbines cannot be mitigated against by landscaping or other measures.”
“This, together with the obvious danger to the migratory bird population and other environmental issues, were key factors in refusing this application.”
He added: “NoPilrow, supported by local residents, have consistently made these and other points over and over again during the last two years and we are pleased to see that we and the district council officers are of a like mind on this application.”
“It is worthwhile remembering that this application was not only rejected unanimously by East Brent Parish Council but by the four or five surrounding parish councils who would also have been affected by this project.”
“Additionally, there have been strong objections to the scheme from English Heritage, The National Trust and the RSPB along with equally adverse comments from planning and environment officers at district and county level. Not one statutory consultant actually supported the application.”
Mr Maund added that as the Government’s view is that local people should have a majority say on local planning issues, he hopes that Broadview Energy will now accept that the Sedgemoor District Council’s decision should be the final word on this.
“”I believe that this decision, together with the numerous other consultants and individual objections, will convince them that they should no longer pursue this matter.”
“Right from the start Broadview have made a virtue of their consultative process with local people and local bodies.”
“They have been given full co-operation to use all means to do this and in addition have had the financial and professional backing to put over their points. Nevertheless they have been overwhelmingly rejected by all aspects of local opinion and we feel that, in the words of another objector to wind farms, ‘enough is enough’.”
