Grise (Skelton)

 January 2006 application  Application 06/0075 for nine 115 m high wind turbines was submitted to Eden District Council on 26 Jan 2006. Six of these would have been on land immediately north of the Skelton transmitting station, and the remaining three would have been some 400 m further north near to Howes Farm. The applicant, Wind Prospect Development Ltd., appealed against the planning authority’s failure to give notice of a decision within the prescribed period and in February 2009, in advance of a public inquiry, the planning authority advised the Secretary of State that the development would have an unacceptable visual impact and would be contrary to a number of adopted policies. Following the public Inquiry, the Secretary of State dismissed the Appeal, and refused planning permission. See the Inspector’s report and the Secretary of State’s decision letter.  November 2011 application  In November 2011 there was a fresh application, for planning permission for two turbines on the Howes Farm land: Eden District Council reference 11/0974. On this occasion, the applicant is Mr R Messenger of Howes Farm, Calthwaite, and the proposal is for two 100 kW turbines, each 47 m high to the tip of the blades. One of these turbines would be sited just to the north of the Skelton transmitting station and the other near Howes Farm, i.e. in the same general areas as the two groups of turbines proposed in 2006. The consultation period was due to end on 4 January 2012 and further steps in the processing of this application should be recorded on the Council’s website (click the above link 11/0974).  July 2012 application  This application was submitted for one turbine 60.6m to tip. 12/0607. It went to the Planning Committee on 1/11/12 and was refused. The decision was appealed and allowed by the inspector, John Braithwaite, despite him admitting that "It would be an intrusive, tall, man-made, industrial, feature that would detract from the attractive landscape."