No Turbines For North Dorset

The application for 4 gigantic industrial wind turbines was firmly rejected by the North Dorset Planning Committee yesterday – for the 2nd time.

The application was for 4 turbines 410 feet tall at Silton, near Gillingham. It was surprising that Ecotricity applied a second time since 350 protesters turned up for the first application which was unanimously rejected.

This sets a precedent for the application for 4 turbines of the same size at East Stoke, near Wool.

The Purbeck Planning Committee decided that they were "minded to approve" the windfarm as long as the objections from the Planning Officer could be overcome. However the Officer highlighted that the proposed turbines were right next to the year-round Dorset Scout Camp which is used for some 15,000 camp nights during the year.

The Council has received a medical report that turbine noise can damage human health, and the tent walls are no protection from the damaging industrial noise. In Scotland and on the Continent it is recommended that no turbine should be erected closer than 2000 metres from the nearest house – yet the tents will be only 240 metres away.

"The Council has a Duty of Care to protect the health of the young Scouts," said Geoff Edwardes, Chairman of DART (Dorset Against Rural Turbines).

The Planning Officer also objected that the height and layout of the Windfarm will damage the nationally designated Purbeck Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

"The Officer reported that 'the overbearing and dominant height of the turbines' will detract from Dorset's beauty," said Terry Stewart, Chairman of Purbeck CPRE, "and there is nothing that the developer can do to mitigate this major impact."