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Friday, January 05, 2007 | 07:56
A WAR of words has erupted over a “landmark” decision to allow a Suffolk woman to build a wind turbine in her back yard.
Virginia Neild has been given the go-ahead to erect the 12-metre high machine to help transform her home in Cowlinge, near Bury St Edmunds, into a self-sufficient paradise.
But the move has sparked concern from neighbours, who believe the turbine will have a detrimental effect on the surrounding countryside.
And they also claim members of St Edmundsbury Council, who approved the planning application at a development control committee meeting yesterday, should have visited the site before making their decision.
Mrs Neild, who won planning permission to demolish and rebuild on the site of her neighbour Thelma Benson's property after buying it from her last year, not only plans to make her new home so heavily insulated there will be no need for central heating, she wants to use the wind turbine to power her electricity, and even plans to harvest rainwater to carry out everyday tasks within the home.
Speaking at the meeting yesterday, the majority of councillors pledged their support for the renewable energy scheme, and commended Mrs Neild for her efforts. Just two councillors voted for a deferment in order for the plans to be looked at in more detail.
“To suggest that something like this is going to detract from the countryside is nonsense, and in my opinion it could be described as a case of 'not in my back yard',” said councillor Derek Redhead.
“It is totally unobtrusive, and I do not believe it makes any more impact on the countryside than television aerials.”
Cllr Stefan Oliver said: “I do not regard this as being objectionable at all. We have got to think of the future, and this sort of development should be encouraged.”
But resident David Green told councillors it would be a “dereliction of duty” not to defer the matter.
“Renewable energy should be on a collective basis, and not an individual basis,” he said.
“If every garden had a turbine in, it would look horrendous, and this will be an eyesore on the landscape.”
Committee chairman Michael Jones said the council was making a landmark decision, and a majority vote approved the application.
Speaking after the meeting, Mrs Benson - who converted her stables into a bungalow after selling Mrs Neild her house, and is the closest neighbour to the site of the proposed turbine - spoke of her disappointment at the outcome.
“The bungalow was my dream house and now my view of the beautiful countryside is going to be obscured by this machine,” she said.
“I am not against renewable energy, just the location of this turbine, and I don't think councillors were able to make an informed decision without seeing the site for themselves.”
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