Planners back wind turbine on green belt

Bradford Council has been asked to consider the application to erect the turbine on land at Clayton Edge Farm, Queensbury.

Despite 19 letters from people objecting to the proposal to the local authority, members of its Area Planning Panel (Bradford) will be advised to back the scheme when they meet on Thursday.

Critics claim the proposed wind turbine would “harm the open character of the landscape and appear industrial in nature” and fear granting planning permission will set a precedent which will make further applications for turbines difficult to resist.

They also fear the turbine will generate noise and say there are no special circumstances to allow the development.

There are also claims the location is not the “most efficient” due to low average wind speeds.”

But a report to be considered by councillors says: “The proposed wind turbine is not considered to cause any significant harm to the openness of the green belt or the character and appearance of the surrounding landscape area.

“The proposal is also not considered to be harmful to residential amenity, highway safety or local wildlife or habitats and will provide a useful contribution to renewable energy generation.”

The proposed turbine may be capable of generating up to 30,000 KWh of electricity per year which is more than the likely consumption of Clayton Edge Farm. So the excess will be fed back into the national grid system.

The report says: “It is considered that the turbine will make a valuable contribution to the targets set for generation of electricity and offset carbon emissions by energy generated from conventional means. It is therefore considered that the proposal demonstrates the very special circumstances necessary to justify this development in the green belt subject to all other relevant considerations.”