Hockney Country wind turbine plans rejected

Plans for six large wind turbines in the Yorkshire Wolds have been rejected.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has refused an application for the turbines, each reaching 488ft (about 150m) high, near Burton Agnes, over concerns for the landscape and local residents.

Carol Bliss, a local artist and campaigner against the plans, said: "We're glad that common sense has been brought to bear."

Richard Barker, project manager for developer Ridge Clean Energy, said he was "disappointed" with the decision after the company went "above and beyond" to engage with communities over the proposals.

Plans for the Three Oaks Renewable Energy Park were submitted to the council in July last year, and would have combined the turbines with an already approved solar farm.

Residents raised concerns about the visual impact of the park, but the developers said it would have no adverse impact on the character of the wider landscape and would produce renewable electricity for 24,000 local homes.

The council's decision notice said the development would have had a "negative impact" on heritage sites nearby, such as Burton Agnes Hall, as well as the potential of causing "unacceptable harm" to any archaeological remains in the area.

The proposed turbines could also have had "unacceptable adverse effects on visual amenity for the proposed location within the Yorkshire Wolds Important Landscape Area" and have been "overbearing" for residential properties nearby.

Interference with the operation of air defence radar at RRH Staxton Wold and its low-level military flying operations was also cited as one of the reasons.

Bliss, 76, moved to Burton Agnes last year as she was attracted to the area's "beautiful landscape".

Speaking on behalf of campaign group Keep Wind Off Woldgate, she said: "None of us are against renewable energy but we did feel there were lots of reasons that this was the wrong place.

"It beggars belief that one would want to put large turbines in this area when it's already been recognised as a significant landscape."

She added that wind farms could instead be put in "remote areas where they're not harming people or the landscape".

Barker said: "There is an urgent need to accelerate the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure, and decisions such as this risk slowing progress towards a low-carbon energy system, greater energy security, and lower energy costs."

He added: "We recognise that infrastructure projects can have local impacts, which must be carefully considered and balanced against the wider need for clean, secure, and affordable British energy.

"We will now carefully review the council's decision and its reasons for refusal before determining our next steps."

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