Wind turbine plans face opposition from village

Villagers in Cornwall are concerned about proposals for seven 100m (330ft) tall wind turbines which they say will destroy local rural tranquillity.

Critics in Helland said, if built, the structures at Helland Barton Farm would be visible from north to south coasts of Cornwall and as far away as Trevose Head, near Constantine Bay, 23 miles (37km) away.

The proposals have yet to be submitted to Cornwall Council.

Walter Wonnacott, planning consultant for developer Mark Quinn said: "The recent shocks to both gas and oil markets following the invasion of Ukraine and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz make it abundantly clear projects such as this are also vital and urgent for our energy security."

Helland Parish Council chair Orlando Kimber said that, following a meeting in January discussing the plans, the majority were against them, with members of the authority saying each turbine would be about twice the height of Nelson's Column.

He said: "Firstly, it is the positioning. It's the shift from somewhere in recorded times from the Domesday Book in 1086, of being rural and isolated and being a farming area.

"For the local community, there are huge ramifications in the construction phase which may last a long time.

"We are already experiencing significant additional traffic.

"Clearly there will be a loss of open spaces, there'll be a loss of farmland, there'll be a loss of amenity; although we don't know that yet."

Wonnacott said: "The site is rare in Cornwall in that benefits from the necessary qualities for renewable energy production.

"The total capacity proposed is over 14MW [megawatt], with the yield modelled at over 32,000 MWh [megawatt hours] per year, or approximately 12,000 houses for the typical Ofgen [energy regulator] UK home.

"It is not within a designated landscape, it has a substantial grid connection available, together with a significant wind resource and relatively few sensitive receptors in the area.

"These requirements limit the number of suitable sites in Cornwall.

"The applicant has carried out extensive public consultations, which have informed the project design, and made himself readily available to meet with members of the public and parish councillors to answer any queries that may arise.

"Feedback from the public consultations has been productive, with many participants supportive of the principle of the project.

"All material queries about the project will be addressed in the application submissions," he said.

Although no planning application has been submitted, Cornwall Council's website said the authority monitored the amount of renewable energy "that is permitted and installed in Cornwall".

It also said it had "a duty to consider the effect of noise as part of the planning process".

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