Penbetha Farm wind turbine refused planning permission at planning committee on 8 June

The planning application for a wind turbine at Penbetha Farm, Probus, ref. no. PA14/11579, was considered at the meeting of the Council's Central Planning Committee on Monday 8 June.

The officer's recommendation was for refusal on the single ground of adverse impact on the heritage assets in Grampound and the conservation area. The Environmental Health Officer had withdrawn his objection on noise grounds. 

Bill Sutherland, representing Probus Parish Council (in whose parish the turbine would be located), spoke in favour of the application. Chris Dodwell, representing Ladock Parish Council, also spoke in support. Tim Dart, representing the applicant, Harvey John, spoke in support of the application.

Neil James, Grampound resident, spoke in objection to the application on behalf of a group calling themselves Conservation Grampound. Roger Paynter, representing Grampound with Creed Parish Council, spoke against the application.

I, as the Cornwall Councillor, spoke in support of the application. I contended that the impact on the conservation area of Grampound and its listed buildings had been overstated by the planning officer.

A member of the planning committee proposed that the item should be deferred so that the committee could hold a site meeting and look for themselves at the potential impact of the turbine on Grampound. That proposal was defeated by 7 votes to 5. Another member of the committee then proposed that the item be refused on the grounds put forward by the planning officer and that proposal was carried by 11 votes to 3.

The agenda for the meeting, and the officer's report on the application, can be viewed on Cornwall Council's website at Central Planning Committee

Please note that, as background to this application, a full schedule of turbines and solar farms already in operation in Cornwall can be viewed on this website at Wind and Solar in Cornwall

June 2015