Parish adds weight to criticism of coastline ‘industrialisation’

Parish councillors have voted against plans to site a wind turbine at Flamborough Head, which some residents fear would spoil one of the finest views in the country.

An application has been submitted to East Riding Council for a 112ft turbine at Hartendale Farm between Danes Dyke and South Landing at Flamborough Head.

Those against the turbine – close to two nature reserves and sites of special scientific interest – see the move as “industrialisation” of a beautiful coastline which is vital to East Coast tourism.

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Flamborough parish councillors voted against the plans at a meeting, with just one in favour. Bempton parish council and Bridlington town council are also objecting.

David Hinde, who was part of a recent campaign that successfully fought off an application to build three turbines at Bempton, said: “It was a very well attended meeting and one of the councillors handed in a petition of 231 signatures gathered from visitors and caravan owners. Obviously councillors noted the fact that English Heritage had made strong objections about the impact on the setting of Danes Dyke, which is an ancient scheduled monument of national importance. I said at the meeting the Heritage Coast wasn’t for sale, it was priceless and we should protect it at all costs.”

The turbine would supply electricity to a nearby caravan site. Asked whether the 2,500 caravans themselves on Flamborough Head were a blot on the landscape Mr Hinde said: “They are not 112-ft high.”

It could be several months before the application is heard by the East Riding Council’s planning committee.

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A spokesman for Wetherby-based Earthmill, which would install and operate the turbine, said people needed to keep the scale of the turbines involved in perspective because they are just a quarter of the size of the large turbines. He said: “We don’t do the very large ones, all we do is these small scale turbines that are installed on farms.

“It is not the same as a development by EDF or E.ON where it is an overseas company which is effectively taking all the profit from a local area and the local area is not getting benefit from it.”

He added: “I don’t think wind is the answer to everything, but it is part of the mix.”

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