Wind turbine to be built on Shropshire farm

Shropshire Council’s north planning committee voted to approve the plans for Sand Lane Farm in Prees, near Whitchurch.

The application for the 23.8m turbine, with a 31.6m blade tip, was welcomed by members of the committee, with members saying the positives outweighed the negatives.

No objections have been lodged and planning officers have not identified any potential problems, but government policy meant it has been recommended for refusal.

But Councillor Pauline Dee, member for Wem, said: “We should be doing all we can for our farmers and this is a good scheme that would have no negative impact on neighbouring properties or buildings and the energy produced would be used on the farm.

“Just because we don’t yet have the government policy in place should not mean this positive application is refused.”

“The site visit was so valuable because we could see for ourselves that it won’t have a negative impact on anybody else.”

Councillor Paul Wynn, for Prees, added: “Nobody has a problem with the application and it is strongly supported by the parish council.

“We should be supporting this local business. It will produce renewable energy and that will go back into supporting the farm.

“There has been no objections and indeed there has been some support.”

Farm owner Anthony Ford added: “This will help my business and the employment of three staff members.

“It will help out a dairy farm in tough times. We have got to do more in the industry to use generate renewable energy and this will be a massive help.

“We have had nothing but positive feedback.”

The plan was given unanimous approval by the committee.

In the report to the committee, planning officer Kelvin Hall says: “The proposed development would provide benefits including the generation of renewable energy for the farm and a reduction in the use of non-renewable sources of energy.

“Notwithstanding these benefits, SAMDev Plan policy MD8 of the adopted Development Plan states that applications for wind energy development are to be assessed against national policy guidance.

“The NPPF states, at footnote 49 to paragraph 154, that proposals for wind energy development should not be considered acceptable unless they are in an area identified as suitable for wind energy development in the Development Plan.

“As at present the Development Plan does not identify such areas, the proposed development is not considered to be acceptable.”

The turbine would be sited towards the eastern side of a field, approximately 400 metres to the south-west of the farm buildings.

Story by Andrew Morris, Local Democracy Reporter