Parish council to fight vigorous campaign against wind farms (From The Northern Echo)

Parish council to fight vigorous campaign against wind farms

4:36pm Friday 6th February 2009

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A PARISH council has defended its strategy to contest a series of proposed wind farms.

Sadberge Parish Council has also pledged that it would wage a vigorous campaign against wind farms once full applications are submitted.

Its chairman has spoken out following criticism that it was not active enough in a larger campaign group.

The village is one of seven in the Seven Parishes Action Group based to the North-East of Darlington.

The group was formed last summer as a result of separate proposals for three wind farms which could result in up to 32 turbines.

Pure Renewable was the first firm to put forward plans for a wind farm for up to 12 turbines split in two sites at East and West Newbiggin in January 2008. Banks Developments followed with six to 10 turbines at Moor House and E.ON UK announced intentions to build ten turbines at Mordon, near Sedgefield.

The Seven Parishes Action Group launched a high-profile protest against the plans by erecting banners outside members' homes. More than 100 were initially made but members claim some were stolen.

The group has also held various meetings and voiced its opposition to monitoring masts for two of the farms. The masts will help developers to design its turbines.

Sadberge Parish Council made no individual opposition to the monitoring masts because there were no planning grounds to object but it did not want them to predetermine any applications for the farms.

However, one villager attended the latest meeting of the action group because he felt the parish council was not active enough.

The parish council drew up a questionnaire for its villagers and has amended its parish plan to oppose the farms.

Sadberge Parish Council chairman Millie Scaife said: "There will be a vigorous campaign against wind farms when the full application is made.

"We are treating this with the utmost of vigour in how we are dealing with it even though it is not in the same way as the Seven Parishes Action Group are dealing with it."

The council has also received a four-page letter from Banks Developments as a result of its updated parish plan.

Parish clerk Alastair Mackenzie said: "It indicates they have taken us seriously."

The company's letter agrees with many of the parish plan's views on planning conditions.

The plan also suggests that the number of turbines should be limited and any turbines be placed in least impact areas away from villages and houses.

Banks' suggestion said: "We would rephrase the policy recommendation to state that wind farm developments will be preferred within the least impact areas.

"A restriction upon the number of turbines should not be implemented within policy; there should be no restriction upon capacity as this would be contrary to the intentions of the Regional Spatial Strategy."

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