Sidbury wind turbine scheme backed by town planners

HORSES stabled near a bridleway near a Sidbury farm that plans to erect two wind turbines, are the required distance from the site.

Mr D Monro Higgs of Mincombe Post Farm near the Hare and Hounds pub, plans to site two 11kw Gaia wind turbines the required 75 metres away from the bridleway as stipulated by the British Horse Society.

Horses can be spooked by the noise and shadows of the turbines, said Councillor John Dyson during a Sidmouth Town Council planning committee meeting which supported the application.

“There are concerns because there are two public rights of way that go close to the site,” said Mr Dyson, who conceded there were no grounds not to support the plan for 18-metre-high lattice towers.

After visiting the site, Sidbury-based Councillor John Hollick said the wind turbines would be seen from East Hill Strips but were not as high as had originally been intended.

He said: “It is in the AONB and the only way we might not support it would be an environmental reason. Noise impact would be minimal.

“I don’t like wind turbines, but that is beside the point. I can’t see any reason in planning not to support it.”

Councillor Simon Pollentine added: “Whether we like them or not we are getting used to seeing these things.

“We co-exist with things in the countryside – pylons, TV aerials, mobile phone masts - we have to live with technology. “They are not very elegant but we have to bite the bullet.”