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Over 100 turn up to object to wind farm
PLANS for Cottam Wind Farm attracted even more controversy, after it emerged on Saturday that Retford Model Flying Club already holds planning consent to fly nearby.
The group owns a five acre plot of land in the centre of the proposed site, and obtained planning permission in 2000 to use the land for the sole use of flying model aircraft.
But at an open meeting to discuss the proposed wind farm between Cottam and South Leverton on Saturday, one member of the club expressed worry the development would interfere with the groups activities, a concern shared by club chairman John Bridget.
Mr Bridget said the consent granted the club the sole activity of flying model aircraft in the sky above – an activity they engage in every day of the week, and which would be made impossible by the addition of 12 wind turbines.
“We haven’t been approached at all by Bassetlaw District Council,” he said, “I’ve done some research and the turbulence created by them would stop us flying. It would close the club.”
The issue first came to light when a concerned member of the club raised the issue with Bassetlaw MP John Mann at an open meeting to discuss the application on Saturday at the South Leverton Memorial Institute.
Responding to the member, Mr Mann said the issue of conflicting planning permission posed potential grounds for blocking the application.
“If you’re opposing a planning application and you get in things that are of no relevance to planning law, that will be turned round and used in favour of it,” he said.
At the same meeting, he criticised Bassetlaw District Council’s planning department, specifically its decision to delegate Cottam Wind Farm.
“I have had a lot of run-ins on a lot of issues, because I don’t believe they’re very good at planning,” he said of the council.
The weekly list for Sunday 15th March contains 14 planning applications which were dealt with by Bassetlaw Council’s planning department – including Cottam Wind Farm – all of which were delegated.
At the moment, the decision to delegate means the plans will instead be dealt with by planning officers, rather than elected councillors.
Case officer for the application David Rowen confirmed that he had been contacted by Retford Model Flying Club, and that he had advised them to put their argument in writing.
He also added that all planning applications were delegated by default, to allow for flexibility, as while delegated decisions can later go to committee, a decision to go to committee cannot be reversed.
Coun Keith Izzard, Chairman of the Planning Committee, said that although the application had been delegated, he had emailed the council’s development control manager, Lionel Deacon, and head of community prosperity David Armiger to arrange for a committee on the issue.
Coun Hugh Burton, of the Sturton ward, said at the meeting he would writing a letter to get the wind farm application dealt with at committee.
He will be writing the letter jointly with Rampton councillor Jeff Rickells.
Chairman of South Leverton Parish Council Gordon Muir also criticised ProWind’s notification for comments and replies by Thursday 16th April, despite only being given documents relating to the project on Thursday.
“If you look at the documents at the back, it would take you until the 16th April to read them,” he said at Saturday’s meeting. “We are asking for an extension until the 30th June. It’s highly likely that will be extended.”
Other issues of concern at the meeting included the concern that the planned turbines would affect the television reception of nearly 1,800 homes in the area, as well as impinging upon bridleways, and the fact that single lane roads would need to be widened to provide access, though Mr Mann informed residents that if that was necessary, the cost would be met by ProWind, and could even be grounds for a formal objection to the turbines.
At a show of hands at the end of the meeting, one resident was found to be in favour of the turbines, three residents took a neutral stance, while the rest of the hall (which had filled to standing room only) was opposed. Figures taken from the meeting put attendance at between 100 and 110 residents.
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Weather for Gainsborough
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
