By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 14:05, Monday, 15 March 2010

Campaigners have won their battle to prevent a windfarm from being built on the edge of Cumwhinton.

A protest poster in Cumwhinton

Planning inspector Paul Griffiths has thrown out an appeal from Bolsterstone Innovative Energy, which wanted to build three turbines up to 377ft high at Newlands Farm near junction 42 of the M6 .

He says the turbines would have a “significant detrimental impact” on the occupiers of nearby Cringles Farm and Beech Cottage.

Carlisle City Council refused planning permission in 2008 on the grounds that the turbines would be “seriously detrimental” to the landscape.

Bolsterstone’s appeal was heard at a public inquiry at Carlisle Civic Centre, which closed in December. Mr Griffiths, who chaired the inquiry, has now delivered his verdict.

He accepts that the turbines would cause “some harm” to the landscape but says this would not be “significant”.

He rejects arguments that the turbines would create unacceptable levels of noise, shadow flicker, pose a safety hazard to drivers on the M6 and harm tourism.

But he is persuaded by claims that Cringles Farm and Beech Cottage are too close. Cringles Farm would be only 460 yards from the nearest turbine.

Mr Griffiths’ report says: “The cluster would appear uncomfortably close. The proximity of the turbine cluster and its spread would make it appear dominant and overpowering from the principal windows of the main house.

“This domineering presence would have a significant, detrimental effect on the living conditions of the occupiers.”

He concludes by saying that planning policy allows windfarms where they are viable and “environmental, economic and social impacts can be addressed satisfactorily”.

He says: “In my view, the proposal has not achieved that because the impact on the occupiers of Cringles Farm and, to a lesser extent, Beech Cottage, are of a severity that leads me to conclude that this aspect of the scheme cannot be deemed to have been ‘addressed satisfactorily’.

“On that basis, I consider that this negative aspect of the proposal outweighs the benefit it would bring.”

However, Mr Griffiths appeared to leave the door to a future wind turbine scheme open by allowing another appeal from Bolsterstone to put up a 197ft meteorological mast at Newlands Farm. This can stay in place for three years and will monitor wind speeds to test the site’s suitability for wind energy.

Mr Griffiths says: “The limited harm the mast would cause to the landscape is far outweighed by the benefit it would give in assessing the suitability of the site for a wind-turbine cluster.”

Bolsterstone’s planning application for wind turbines was one of the most contentious ever handled by the city council.

The authority received 1,300 objections while 242 people wrote in support.

So many wanted to give evidence at the inquiry, originally scheduled for three days in October, that it had to reconvene for an extra day in December.

First published at 13:27, Monday, 15 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk