UNTIL fairly recently I lived close to the proposed site of the wind turbine between Newbuildings and Morchard Bishop, although it would not actually have been visible from my house.

I do not believe there would have been any noise disturbance, because of the distance between the siting and our house and other intervening features, including various buildings.

Notwithstanding the above, I did write a comprehensive letter of objection to the original proposal, setting out a number of what I considered to be very valid land use considerations.

I received an acknowledgement from Mid Devon District Council to this letter.

The letter was re-sent when the application was resubmitted at a later date.

The principal theme of my letter was that the applicants had failed to provide (as part of the application) submission of a lot of very important material information that would be necessary for the council to properly consider the proposal, in particular a wind test and a series of noise tests, taken at the closest receptors (nearby houses).

My letter of objection appears to have been completely ignored. As far as I am aware there has been no request made to the developers to supply the above information.

As I understand it, an officer recommendation for approval has been made in the absence of such information, which I find most surprising, particularly in view of the large number of objections there have been and the very sensitive location for the proposed turbine.

Recent Government legislation gives clear encouragement for public participation in the planning process and that is the underlying theme of the Localism Act.

I appreciate that there are many who believe that wind power is a key plank in terms of sustainability and renewable energy provision.

However, there is still a requirement within the Town and Country Planning Act and the Localism Act that all material considerations must be weighed in the balance.

I feel that, up to now, the council have failed to carry out a full comprehensive balancing exercise and I fail to see how they can properly do this without being in possession of the further survey information that I have referred to above and making a detailed analysis of it.

The wider rural community of Mid Devon should, I believe, be most concerned about the planning department's approach to this application because, if granted consent, it would set an important precedent to wind farm operators and open the door perhaps to a plethora of turbines scattered across our cherished Mid Devon landscape.

The application is to be debated by the full planning committee at their meeting on September 5. I urge anyone who is concerned about the Mid Devon landscape and its protection and enhancement to write to the Planning Department at Mid Devon District Council in Tiverton expressing their concern.

The application number which should be quoted on any letter is 12/00901/OULL.

Nigel Cant

by email