SUFFOLK Coastal MP Therese Coffey today spoke of her shock at councillors’ approval for two wind turbines in Levington.

“I do not get involved in individual planning decisions as it is for local councillors to decide but I had assumed as this application was in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that it would simply not be granted,” she said.

“I know that the local councillors worked hard for Levington residents and are very disappointed.

“In Parliament, I and other MPs pressed the government on this issue both on planning policy and on financial subsidies.

“Of course, we need to be more self-reliant for our energy and to reduce carbon but Suffolk Coastal is doing its bit with nuclear and off-shore wind turbines.

“The government has responded and has said that to accompany the national policy framework, councils can set policy on renewable energy within their areas.”

Dr Coffey said she was calling on Suffolk Coastal council to produce a supplementary planning document on renewable energy so criteria can be set for new energy sources.

“This could include excluding such sites in our AONB or making height references to existing structures. By setting out a policy, local residents will have clarity for the future,” she said.

Despite huge local opposition, in the case of the proposed turbines at Levington Hall, councillors felt no one factor was unreasonably intrusive and the cumulative scale, volume and frequency of the feared effects were not sufficiently significant to warrant refusal.