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Residents back stance on windfarm plans
A county council which has taken a tough stance on windfarms said it was pleased that residents have backed its plans in a survey.
Lincolnshire County Council carried out an online survey asking people for their opinion on windfarms.
The council’s cabinet approved guidelines in June, restricting where wind farms can be built and making it more difficult for developers to get permission for wind farms.
The guidelines were issued to local planning authorities but the county council wanted to make the stance an official policy.
Just under 4,000 people completed the survey and 89 per cent of respondents agreed with the county council’s position on wind farms.
Furthermore, 63 per cent of people felt windfarms had no role to play in meeting our energy needs and 87 per cent of people said the county council’s guidelines should be taken into account when new wind farms are considered.
Leader of the county council Martin Hill (Con) said: “Clearly our residents feel something has to be done about the unrestrained spread of wind turbines across the county.
“It also looks that, as far as our residents are concerned, the county council is on the right track.”
Coun Hill said the council understood the need for renewable energy but it couldn’t ignore the impact they had on the countryside.
He said: “We need to make sure we balance our need for green energy against inappropriate developments that ruin the very environment we’re trying to protect.
“We’re confident our guidelines will bring that balance.”
Coun Hill said he was pleased with the support shown for the council’s position and said the number of people responding to these surveys is “usually in the hundreds rather than the thousands”.
Coun Hill added: “However, windfarms are clearly an important issue for our residents so it’s no surprise that so many people wanted to have their say.”
A report will now be presented to the council’s executive members asking them to endorse a move to make the council’s current position official policy.
If they agree, this will go before the full council on February 22 to be approved.
Rutland County Council approved a similar policy in November, making it more difficult for developers to get planning permission for wind farms.
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Weather for Stamford
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 6 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
