09/00524/FUL Construction of two wind turbines, access track and ancillary equipment at South Staffordshire College Rodbaston Campus

Two 126 metre high Wind Turbines (415 feet) situated on peat land very close to the M6 Motorway and the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal.  

There have been a lot of local objections to this application based on visual intrusion in the landscape (Cannock Chase AONB objected), noise, health issues, danger of accidents, and too near to the 9,000 people living in Penkridge and to many whom live much closer.    It is close to Otherton Airfield, several farm homes, the College itself, and to one of the most well known heronries in the country only 1.2Km away.   Bats have recently been found to be very susceptible to wind turbines which, if they fly near them, causes their lungs to explode (bats are supposed to be protected by law).

All these fears, problems, dangers and objections have been voiced but the recommendation from the Planning Officers to the Regulatory Committee was that the application should be approved and no account taken of all the objections  At a meeting of the Committee on the 16 February 2010, it was decided to defer the decision until further information was obtained. 

The Committee will meet again in early March to decide this application by Wind Direct Ltd.  

At a meeting of SSDC Regulatory Committee in early April, Councillors agreed to
REFUSE THIS APPLICATION    -    Click here for Reasons for Refusal

NOW THE APPLICANTS HAVE APPEALED AGAINST THE DECISION AND ANYONE CAN NOW MAKE WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THE INSPECTOR SO LONG AS THEY ARE RECEIVED BY THE 31 AUGUST 2010.
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Latest NEWS 10 December 2010

RODBASTON WINDFARM GETS GO AHEAD – BAD NEWS FOR PENKRIDGE PEOPLE

An application for Two very large 126 metre (415 feet)  high Wind Turbines have been given the go ahead by a Planning Inspector after an appeal was made after South Staffs. Council turned down the application.

This now means that these two Wind Turbines will be built on the Rodbaston Estate very close to the M6 Motorway, the Canal, and within 1 Km of the ancient heronry at Gailey (putting the herons at high risk of collision and death), within 1 Km of the local Microlight airstrip at Pillaton (again meaning a risk to pilots), and within 1Km of the housing estates to the south end of the town of Penkridge, housing between 8 and 9,000 people, with all the problems that turbines bring to an area, particularly the de-valuing of local property,  possible health risks and no benefits.

This is a big precedent and it is fully expected  there will now be more applications in this area of urban South Staffordshire from industrial sites, large industrial farm units, etc. 

 And I haven’t mentioned the bats – several species (all protected by law) which will be affected and be at risk.   Oh!, and a public right of way goes between the two turbines.    A new road has also to be built on agricultural land to access the site and one of the turbines is to be sited on ancient peat bog.    How green is all this?   And all in the Green Belt too.

Although the Officers of the Council recommended approval, the Councillors of the Planning Authority listened to local people and turned the application down even though a couple of local councillors were prevented from voting because of a non-pecuniary interest .   They therefore could not properly represent the views of their constituents.

If you log on to http://www.epaw.org/multimedia.php?article=news11    you will see a FILM of the views of people living near existing or planned wind farm developments.  Their objections have been dismissed by the wind industry, government and pro-wind campaigners as selfish NIMBYism, leaving unanswered many questions about the reliability and environmental credentials of wind energy.  For full information on the negative effects of windfarms go to:  http://www.iberica2000.org/Es/Articulo.asp?Id=1228

Would you want this near you?