Proposed wind turbine would damage natural beauty, say councillors

A wind turbine proposed for a countryside location at Hooksway would damage an area of outstanding natural beauty and the setting of a listed building, district councillors ruled.

The northern area development control committee voted 6-4 to refuse planning permission for the turbine, at Hooksway Lane.

Members were told the project, planned for a site near a listed farmhouse, would comprise a 15m-high steel pole and a three-bladed, six-metre diameter turbine.

Electricity generated would be for use within the farmhouse, with any excess exported to the grid.

The project was supported by local parish councillors, and the South Downs Joint Committee also raised no objection, provided the pole was painted a dark matt colour.

A parish representative said: "This is about an individual doing his bit to combat global warming."

Cllr Andrew Shaxson, who represents the local area, said people should be encouraged to adapt to climate change.

The turbine would undoubtedly be rather a tall object, but it would not be white aluminium - it would be camouflaged.

"The impact would be very small, and it would be 90m from the listed building," he declared. "At the end of the day, this is a householder's efforts to ameliorate the effects of climate change."

The impact of climate change, if nothing was done, would destroy the very thing they were trying to protect - the area of outstanding natural beauty.

But the application, submitted by Richard Fortin, was recommended for refusal by planning officers.

They said in a report it would cause harm to the 'natural beauty and tranquillity' of this part of the Sussex Downs AONB and designated national park.

For such a proposal to be acceptable, the government made it clear any adverse effects must be outweighed by environmental, social and economic benefits.

In this case, the benefits had not been demonstrated to be important enough to outweigh the harm caused.

"In environmental terms, it is accepted the proposal will contribute to the requirement for a proportion of the region's energy to be generated from renewable sources," said the report.

"However, the output from the turbine is small in comparison to the regional target, and it is unclear whether it will serve any need other than the applicant's."