Wind turbines- has the tide begun to turn against them in Fenland?

TWO separate applications to build 12 further wind turbines in Fenland are likely to be refused consent.

Confirmation that the tide is turning against open season in the Fens for wind turbines comes in two newly published reports.

Both have been compiled by Nigel Brown, Fenland's development delivery manager, who has set out his reasons why he thinks they should be refused.

His recommendations will go to next week's Fenland District Council Planning Committee who will have the final say.

Mr Brown believes the first application- for nine turbines north of Floods Ferry Farm, Floods Ferry Road, March- will result in a "material change" both in landscape and visual terms.

He believes that the bid, by Scottish Power Renewables, would unbalance "and overpower the existing key characteristics of the landscape".

Town councils in March and Whittlesey opposed the bids, and Doddington Parish Council also lodged an objection, although Benwick Parish Council supported it.

Public opinion was divided with 13 letters opposing the turbines, whilst the council received 16 letters of support.

However Mr Brown believes that the proposed wind farm would have a "potentially significant cumulative cumulative impact on the existing landscape with a broad swathe of land between the south east of Peterborough and east of March dominated by turbine development".

On the second application, by Fivestone Ltd for three turbines north of Burnthouse Sidings, Turves, Mr Brown believes local residents would end up living too close to them.

He believes the proposals would "adversely affect a significant number" of home owners, a view shared by Whittlesey Town Council which also lodged an objection.

Mr Brown has also listed many of the houses he believes will be affected by the scheme. The council received 14 letters of objection to the Turves scheme.