Front Generator Wind Turbine

Members of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council are meeting tomorrow, Thursday, February 6, just a week after the Post & Times revealed that a new policy could be adopted by the district council which would ban all wind turbines more than 15 metres (49 feet) being erected.

The proposed policy would also see wind generator having to be erected within the boundaries of buildings at the address proposed, and not in open countryside where they would be visible.

Planning officers have recommended that three of the four applications are refused, while a fourth one – which is more than 100 feet above the proposed policy – recommended for is approval.

One of those set to be refused is a plan for a 17.75 metre (58 feet) to blade turbine on land west of the bungalow at Lask Edge Farm, Lask Edge.

An application to erect a 14.8 metre (48 feet) high to blade tip turbine at Whitehouse Farm, Thorncliffe Bank, Thorncliffe has also been recommended for refusal.

A third application set to be turned downl is for a 34.2 metre (112 feet) to blade tip turbine at Triangle Farm, Thorncliffe.

However, plans for a 46.3 metre (151 feet) to blade tip turbine at Fields Farm, Draycott Cross Roads, Brookhouses, Cheadle has been recommended for approval.

Since the announcement of the proposed new policy, two further applications have been submitted to planning officers for consideration.

Permission has been sought for a 34.4 metre (112 feet) to blade tip turbine at High View Farm, Holt Lane, Kingsley Holt, for Urban Wind Ltd.

A second application involves the erection of a 15 metre (49 feet) turbine on a 15 metre galvanised steel tower with a three bladed 5.5 metre (18 feet) rotor diameter at Rock House Farm, Ipstones Edge.

At last week's meeting of Ipstones Parish Council, councilors voted to object to the Rock House Farm application on the ground of its visual impact on the area and being unneighbourly.

In announcing the proposed policy leader of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Sybil Ralphs, said: "Last September I asked the wind energy renewable working group to look at a policy regarding turbines.

"We have had some unbiased comments, suggestions and assistance from a large number of people from across the Moorlands.

"I dislike wind turbines. They are disruptive to the planning committee, intrusive, spoil the countryside, divide communities and on health and safety grounds no one has assured me they are safe.

"There are wind turbines in the Moorlands that should not be there, but some have been allowed by government inspectors on appeal.

"The aim of producing a policy was to bring the issue to a satisfactory conclusion."