Wind Turbine on the Cadeby Road Landfill Site

This application was considered by the DMBC Planning Committee this morning.  The case was presented by Eizabeth Maw for DMBC and the argument for was put by Mr Stuart Markham on behalf of the applicant (which I am informed is a Spanish company).  Quite a number of people and organisations had objected and their arguments were put by Cllr Alan Smith representing Sprotborough & Cusworth Parish Council and Cllr Doreen Woodhouse on behalf of nearby residents who have an epileptic daughter.

Suggestions were raised that solar power might have been used instead or, alternatively, that the power generated by the methane gas could have been used to service the need for electricity on the landfill site.  These were countered by Mr Markham who said that the electricity produced went directly into the national grid and that a wind turbine had been considered the best option for the location.  He admitted that no consultations had been thought necessary for such a small scheme and had therefore not been aware of the epilepsy of the neighbour's daughter..

However, yesterday, an objection had been received from Robin Hood Airport on the grounds that:

"the wind turbine would be detected by the airport's radar.  Detection of the turbine by the airport radar would create clutter in the form of twinkling on the radar screen.  This clutter can cause confusion when trying to distinguish between real aircraft and false targets."

Following discussion, the Planning Officer recommended that the application should be approved in principle, but subject to the applicant satisfactorily resolving the objection with Robin Hood Airport.  However, Cllr Jonathan Wood raised a number of questions and proposed that agreement should be deferred until further investigations could be made about the various community objections.  In the absence of a seconder, he then amended his proposal to:

"Refuse the application based on Robin Hood Airport's late objection."

A vote was taken and this was agreed.

Thanks, therefore, seem to be due to Robin Hood Airport as no other argument seemed to hold any weight in the minds of the Members.  It seems likely that the application might be re-submitted at a later date and a close watch will need to be kept on the situation if the communities of Cadeby and Sprotborough are to succeed in their aim of keeping this wind turbine away from the landfill site.