Objectors from afar complain about turbine

Plans have been submitted for the structure on agricultural land at Windy Gap Farm in Green Balk Lane, Lepton.

The turbine would provide energy to the farmhouse with the rest being fed back into the national grid.

Of 308 comments on the scheme, just 11 are in favour.

But a council report has warned that some people have commented twice and others actually live outside the Kirklees area.

“The comments come from a wide variety of parties including a number that do not live within close proximity to the application site, and some which live outside Kirklees,” the council report 
says.

“Some of the comments are on standard letter templates, and some are shorter one-line comments making few or very little direct planning related comments.

“Some individuals have commented more than once.”

Objectors say the scale of the turbine will be too great for a green belt area.

Others say the turbine could harm bats and birds.

Kirkburton Parish councillors have also objected.

The council planning report is recommending that the scheme be approved.

It concludes that the site is a significant distance from the nearest residential property and, therefore, any noise generated is unlikely to cause a significant nuisance.

“Whilst this proposal is considered to be inappropriate development in the green belt, its contribution to national, regional and local renewable energy targets combined with serving Windy Gap Farm demonstrates very special circumstances which outweigh the harm caused to the openness of the green belt.”

Members of the planning committee will discuss the application next Thursday.