Coastal View & Moor News Issue 29 November - December 2012
No To Wind Turbines! Back Us Redcar & Cleveland!
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illagers in rural East Cleveland have called on Redcar & Cleveland Council to oppose all
‘industrial’ wind turbines on their patch. Applications to build large wind turbines at Stanghow,
near Lingdale (67metres), and at Kilton Thorpe, near Brotton (89metres), can now only be decided by the Secretary of State and there is the fear that, if these are allowed, more will follow. At a meeting of the Lockwood Ward Neighbourhood Action Partnership, held at Lingdale on 15th October, residents and councillors were unanimous in their support for a motion, proposed by Chairman Councillor Steve Kay, calling for a change in Redcar & Cleveland’s wind turbine policy. Councillor Kay’s motion called upon the Council to oppose all industrial wind turbine development in the Lockwood ward area, on the grounds that they were “a blight on our outstanding landscape.” Said Councillor Kay: “Redcar & Cleveland Council’s Planning Committee has done a good job by refusing planning permission for large turbines but, at the moment, the Council’s policy has no teeth. It needs beefing up to stop this threat to our countryside once and for all. “We are sick and tired of planning officials telling us there is nothing beautiful or outstanding about our area and that therefore we should put up with these horrendous structures. They are not even efficient at generating electricity. “Our Council should back its residents through its policies. Then planning officials and the Secretary of State must take note. “The Lockwood villages are adjacent to the North
York Moors National Park. Our landscape should be protected from these monstrosities and we know the Park does not want them on its doorstep.” Parish councillor, Mike Jefferson, who seconded Councillor Kay’s motion, said: “The Lockwood villages have all just won gold medals in Northumbria in Bloom. What is more, in the national Britain in Bloom competition, Stanghow was top of its category, again winning a gold medal. Why should all this local effort be spoiled by these horrendous machines?” As a result of the NAP meeting Cllr Kay, at a recent Council Meeting said: “Lockwood Ward Neighbourhood Action Partnership
calls on Redcar & Cleveland Council to oppose all industrial wind turbine development in the Lockwood ward area, on the grounds that such development constitutes a blight on our outstanding landscape. “On 17th October, as Chairman of the Partnership, I
e.mailed copies of this resolution to Councillor George Dunning, Councillor Sheelagh Clarke, Councillor Helen McLuckie and Chief Executive Amanda Skelton. “Our leadership is totally paralysed when it comes to
this issue. Yet time is running out if we are to stop the spread of these monsters across our countryside. “Were it not for our determined residents and the valiant members of our Planning Committee, the lack of a clear local wind turbine policy means that permission would already have been granted for turbines at both
Stanghow and Kilton Thorpe. Both are now at appeal. If, God forbid, because of weak and ambiguous local policies, the inspectors grant permission, nothing will stop the march of the turbines across our cherished landscape. Cllr Kay went on to say: “How long must we wait before our urban-based leadership steps forward to stop this invasion of our countryside in its tracks? “On 6th October, a delegation from Stanghow went to Guernsey for the nationwide Britain in Bloom Awards. The long trip was definitely worthwhile. “For the second time, Stanghow won the Royal
Horticultural Society’s Crystal Trophy for the Best Small Village in the whole of Britain. And Stanghow was the only small village to pick up a gold award. What is more, the village has been invited to compete in the national Champion of Champions section next year. “I am proud to be the member for Stanghow, and believe both they and the other Lockwood villages of Lingdale and Moorsholm, should get far more recognition from this Council for their ‘in Bloom’ triumphs. “How do you think the people of Stanghow feel when, after all their efforts and the glory they have brought to Redcar & Cleveland, the leadership of this Council does nothing to protect them from the threat of a monstrous wind turbine dominating their village and negating their tremendous achievements; a wind turbine towering 958 feet above sea level; almost as high as Roseberry Topping; a wind turbine that will dominate the landscape at the gateway to the National Park?” Cllr Helen McLuckie, Cabinet member for Highways,
Transport and Planning told Coastal View: “There are already clear legislative guidelines on
the locations of wind turbines, including separation distances, which the Council is not in a position to overrule. All planning decisions have to be based on national, regional and local planning law and a decision to refuse any planning application has to be supported by sound, material planning considerations. “Cllr Kay is well aware that planning legislation requires, that every application must be judged on its own merits and therefore the Council cannot create a system where the result of any application is already pre-judged before it gets to committee – that, by definition, would be maladministration. “The Council cannot pre determine any planning application as the partnership suggests, it would be unsound and legally flawed. All applications have to be judged on their own merits and each decision must reflect the local site circumstances and the facts of the application. It is not be possible to say that a particular development type would never be acceptable. “The Government have stipulated that planning
authorities must plan positively for renewable energy.
“However, the Council is developing a protocol on
how it would deal with renewable energy planning applications. This will give clarity to residents and
developers alike on the process followed in considering such applications and give a better understanding on how the officer’s recommendations have been reached when applications are considered by the planning committee. The renewable energy protocol will hopefully be adopted by the Council within the next few months, and I do stipulate, this will be an elected member decision across all political parties. “The Council already has policies in place to protect
our rural communities. For example, the highest level of protection is offered to the Heritage Coast where normally any development will be refused. In addition, the landscape policy in the Core Strategy
and Landscape Character SPD offer greater protection to sensitive landscape areas and restoration landscapes. However, this Core Strategy and SPD cannot prevent exceptions being brought forward and each proposal
Stage Pre-production work including technical studies
Consultations to inform development of preferred options
Consultation on Preferred Options Consultation on Publication Draft
Submission of Local Plan to the Secretary of State
Examination of DPD
Receipt of Inspector’s Report Adoption of Local Plan
will be considered against policy and other material considerations. “The Council does listen and consult with residents on
planning policies and currently the Council is preparing a new Local Plan to ensure we meet our duties fully, as set out in the Government’s Localism Act and National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The very first stage of preparing the new Local Plan is consultation on a scoping report which sets out, in broad terms, what we think the Local Plan will need to address and also, to a limited extent, how we propose to deal with these issues. Residents can influence planning policy and this is a good opportunity for residents to get involved.” The scoping report is subject to public consultation
from 1 November until 10 December. The attached table shows the stages and indicative timetable in the preparation of the new Local Plan:
Date
Underway and continuing September 2012
May 2013
October 2013 January 2014
January 2014 – May 2014 June 2014
August 2014
FRAGRANCES NOW IN STOCK
NEW YANKEE CANDLE CHRISTMAS 2012
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