Ainstable

Mr Bowman has seen fit to appeal the decision to refuse planning permission for his turbine. This time he has had the help of Harrison and Hetherington to write the appeal statement.

It should be noted that there were 878 individual objections to this turbine, and there were also objections from North Pennines AONB, Friends of the Lake District, Friends of the Settle to Carlisle Line, and the Parish councils of Ainstable, Hesket, Lazonby, and Kirkoswald.

The appeal statement makes much of the NPPF, and its support for renewable energy projects, to justify this appeal but there is no reference to the more recent Planning Practice guidance from the government. Indeed Rt Hon Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government made it clear in a letter to the Planning Inspectorate in 2013 that " the need for renewable energy does not automatically override environmental protections and the planning concerns of local communities" and "great care should be taken to ensure heritage assets are conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance, including the impact of proposals on views important to their setting."

In this case there have clearly been planning concerns shown by the local community, 878 individuals, a 30 page objection from the local parish council, a recommendation for refusal by the local planning department, and rejection by the Eden District Planning Committee consisting of democratically elected councillors. This decision should be allowed to stand.

This turbine was refused by the planning Committee after recommendation for refusal by the planning Officer on July 17th 2014 on the following grounds:

1) The proposed turbine, by virtue of its scale and siting in a prominent location on a sensitive ridgeline in an attractive open countryside, would have a significant and unacceptable level of harm to the landscape in which it is to be sited contrary to Core Strategy policies CS18 and CS20.

 2) The proposed turbine, by virtue of its scale and siting in a prominent location on a sensitive ridgeline, will result in a substantial and unacceptable level of harm to the visual amenity of the area including nearby residential properties contrary to Core Strategy policies CS18 and CS20.

3) The proposed turbine, by virtue of its scale and siting in a prominent location on a sensitive ridgeline, would result in a significant and unacceptable impact on the setting of the nearby listed Church of St Michael contrary to Core Strategy policies CS17 and CS18.

A 'Walk Against the Turbine' is being held on Sunday 6th July at 2.15pm.

On 16th June an objection was received from Friends of the Lake District click here to see it FLD

On 16th May Eden District Council had received 769 objections

Ainstable Parish Council meets on Tuesday 7.30pm at Ainstable village Hall to vote on the proposal, this will be followed by a meeting of ATAC

The proposed site for this turbine is in a lovely part of the Eden valley. It is less than 2km from the Eden Gorge SSI and about 3.5km from the edge of the North Pennines AONB.

To see a photomontage of the dominating appearance of this turbine from the pretty village of Ainstable

click here

Ainstable Parish Council are holding a public meeting to discuss the proposal at 7:30pm on Thursday 13 March 2014 The application has now been submitted see details 14/0281

An action group has been formed Ainstable Turbine Action Campaign (ATAC) and a meeting is being held on Wednesday 23rd April at 7pm at the Heather Glen hotel, Ainstable to discuss the way forward to fight this outrageous proposal.