Campaigners thrilled by decision to refuse windfarm near David Hockney's famous Woldgate
Campaigners have hailed a decision to refuse a wind farm near an ancient road which featured in a famous series of paintings by David Hockney.
East Riding Council planners have rejected an application by Ridge Energy to build six wind turbines standing 491ft tall as part of the Three Oaks Renewable Energy Park Extension at Burton Agnes, near Driffield.
Councillor Denise Howard said objections to the farm near Woldgate, where Hockney painted the landscape, trees and changing seasons, had come from near and far and that the late artist “will be smiling down”.
She said: “I am absolutely delighted. It just shows what happens when people come together. We had people helping our campaign from miles away.”
She believes the developers may appeal, but said: "We don’t doubt that they will be back in some form or another, but we will be ready.”
The council gave five reasons for refusal including the “unacceptable adverse effects” on the landscape, close to the proposed Yorkshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The “overbearing” turbines also would result in a “significant and unacceptable deterioration in visual amenity and residents’ enjoyment of their homes.”
An objection by the Ministry of Defence to the proposals, saying the turbines would cause interference with the air defence radar at Staxton Wold and obstruct low-flying training exercises, formed another reason for refusal.
Historic England had objected stating that the farm would cause harm to the “significance of an exceptional group of monuments and structures”, including the tallest prehistoric standing stone in the country, the Rudston Monolith, and Burton Agnes Hall, one of Yorkshire’s finest late Elizabethan country houses.
There were 170 letters of objections, but also five letters of support, including petitions signed by 346 people.