Cornwall

Planning Application to build another Wind Farm near Davidstow in North Cornwall

A planning application has been lodged with North Cornwall District Council for a 20-turbine wind farm at Davidstow near the old airfield and Crowdy Reservoir.  With the height of each turbine measuring 126 metres, the proposed wind farm would be clearly visible from much of Bodmin Moor, and particularly from Roughtor and Brown Willy.  The site is situated between two existing wind farms; Cold Northcott (with 22 turbines) and Delabole (with 10 turbines).  To make matters worse two more wind farms are proposed close to Davidstow: at Otterham close to the A39 (5 turbines) and at Tich Barrow (4 turbines) - the latter being merely two miles from the Davidstow site.  If all the proposed wind farms were approved, there would be 61 turbines in this part of Cornwall.  It also has to be noted that around Davidstow much of the countryside is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).  Furthermore, the site of the proposed Davidstow Wind Farm is partly within an Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).  Another negative feature is that the height of the turbines would be clearly visible from the Heritage Coast of North Cornwall.  Details of all the various applications for wind farms can be found on the Internet.  The planning reference issued by North Cornwall District Council is 2008/01432.

Residents in the area around Davidstow are appalled at the proliferation of wind farms in their locality, and two organisations have been set up to fight the plans for further wind farms; Stop Turbines in North Cornwall (STINC) and Group Against Windfarm Proliferation (GAWP).  Apart from the fact that further wind turbines are not wanted, the groups organising resistance (STINC and GAWP) are concerned over misleading statements and montages provided by the applicant, as these tend to minimise the impact of the 20 turbines proposed for Davidstow.  Representatives from CPRE Cornwall attended a meeting of STINC on September 1^st at the invitation of that organisation.  It was clear that opposition to the proposals for more wind farms in North Cornwall is well organised with both pro-active and re-active measures being taken by STINC.  As North Cornwall District Council has set a deadline of September 25^th for objections about the proposed scheme to be received, the most urgent matter is for organisations and individuals against the proposed wind farm to make their views known.  With this in mind, STINC urged those against more wind farms in North Cornwall to write to North Cornwall District Council and their MPs now to express their views and set out their objections.

Further details about STINC and the proposed wind farms at Davidstow and Otterham can be found on the following websites:

http://www.stinc.co.uk/

www.stinc.co.uk/davidstow.shtml

www.stinc.co.uk/otterham.htm

Letters of objection should be sent to North Cornwall District Council Planning Department at 3 - 5 Barn Lane, Bodmin PL31 1LZ.  Alternatively, objections can be e-mailed using This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

So, PLEASE ACT NOW! 

Remember that renewable energy in the form of wind turbines is not that effective and is costly, with the taxpayer funding a proportion of each turbine.  Remember, too, that these schemes are being pushed through during a period of local government reform in Cornwall, and that the names given to both existing and proposed wind farms are purposely vague and misleading in order to confuse.  The Government's determination to build more and more wind turbines, both on-shore and off-shore, is due to internationally agreed targets to reduce carbon emissions and is without any other consideration.

We do need to consider the UK's energy needs for the future.  There should be sufficient and reliable sources of energy and these should be secure from interference by other countries.  Renewable energy is an ideal solution, but not at the expense of our countryside and the health of its residents.  Perhaps more attention should be given to hydro-electricity and solar power.

Ted Venn

5^th September 2008

 Proposed Waste Incinerator at St Dennis 

The Government Office for the South West (GOSW) has advised CPRE Cornwall that if Cornwall County Council do give permission for the Waste Incinerator at St Dennis there is likely to be a public enquiry.  GOSW stress that it is NOT definite that a public enquiry would be held.

Ted Venn

16th September 2008

Public Enquiry will be held if Cornwall County Council gives planning consent for the Waste Incinerator at St Dennis

On August 4^th, our Chairman, Tony Hilton, wrote to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol to request a public enquiry into the planning application for a waste incinerator at St Dennis.  There were four grounds for this request:

(1)    that Cornwall County Council had a vested interest in the planning application as it is the Waste Planning Authority for the county;

(2)    that in the event of planning consent NOT being obtained, Cornwall County Council had a contractual obligation to pay 50% of the costs incurred by SITA, the applicant, in seeking to obtain planning consent;

(3)    that because relevant information, such as an Environment Impact Assessment, had been difficult to obtain, there was insufficient time for objectors to make representations within the stipulated 28 day period; and

(4)    that there was insufficient time for facts provided by SITA, the applicant, to be checked by independent consultants.

The Planning Inspectorate was also advised that the proposed site of the waste incinerator at St Dennis was close to a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and that some personnel at SITA considered that two smaller incinerators in different locations within the county would be preferable to one large incinerator at St Dennis.

Yesterday (August 13^th), Tony received a letter of reply from the Government Office for the South West (GOSW) to the effect that if Cornwall County Council does give planning consent for the waste incinerator at St Dennis it will result in GOSW insisting on a public enquiry.

Ted Venn

14^th August 2008