THE "presumption in favour of development" ethos of the Government's new planning policy seems to have become a "presumption to override community interests" policy and the Government's energy policy seems to have taken priority over land use policy.

We make these points because of our experience with the planning process for the application to install a massive wind turbine in an unspoilt Devon valley, where food production is the priority of local residents.

This application has not followed the most basic of democratic principles, namely, that the people most affected by a decision should be consulted about it.

• No consultations have ever been held with the local community.

• Not a single letter of support has been written but some 99 individuals have signed letters of objection.

• The application has been condemned by the three affected local parish councils because of industrialisation of a rural landscape.

• On three occasions the Highway Authority has recommended that the application be refused because the road to the proposed site is unsuitable for heavy vehicles.

• On one occasion the Environmental Health agency recommended refusal on grounds of the noise the turbine would produce. No on-site noise analysis has been carried out.

• Wind speeds measured near the site over a period of 10 months have shown them to be below the speeds necessary to drive the turbine over 80 per cent of the time, data which the applicants have ignored even though they have said that monitoring of wind speeds is essential in order to gauge if necessary wind is available!

• The visual impact analysis that has been provided by the applicants has been recognised, even by the planning authority, to be hopelessly inadequate.

• Local residents are concerned about the impact on the abundant wildlife in the valley, yet the ecological impact has been fudged by the use of incorrect data.

• Local residents have expressed concern about the impact on the landscape, on local tourist-dependent businesses, and local amenities yet these effects have not been assessed.

Despite all this the Mid Devon District Council Planning Authority is recommending approval. What are we missing?

G J and K Mitchell

Morchard Bishop

by email