• TV, Wireless Broadband services could be affected. Prior to the Royd Moor Wind Turbine Farm, reception was excellent
• UDP, SPG/Wind Energy suggests a minimum separation of 10 times the blade diameter. As these blades are 80 metres a separation distance of at least 800 metres should be applied. The nearest dwelling is 420 metres, and the nearest village is 500 metres.
• No noise assessments were undertaken on Foxholes Grove or Middlecliffe Drive. A noise assessment could be easily carried out at Royd Moor to estimate the minimum impact, as these turbines are smaller than those planned for Crow Edge.
• There is a need to consider noise outside the human range of low and high frequencies. There is a bat colony nearby, and this development must not interfere with bats, a protected species.
• The Councillors planning committee visit did not include Crow Edge, the village most impacted by this development. The village was not clearly identified on the map submitted to the planning committee.
• Visual impact – The turbines would impact on the openness of the green belt, which has been supported by a similar project being refused on these grounds after a public enquiry.
• The Barnsley Council are looking towards Biomass Technology as a renewable energy source. Currently the B.M.B.C are on track to achieve  the Governments 60% Co2 reduction target  by 2010 - 40 years ahead of the schedule. bmbc_co2.pdf  
• There is already an existing Wind Farm at Royd Moor, together with another new plan on the horizon. A recent report submitted by AEAT to the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber and Yorkshire and Humber Assembly suggests that by 2010 there should be a minimum of 15kms distance between wind farms.
• Last year a planning application was approved to site an Anemometer to test wind strength in the area. This has not been built, and now the application to build the wind turbines has been approved, despite not having accurate analysis of the wind strength in this location, which would have provided proof of the viability of the scheme.
• The sunlight strobing effect will be more acute at certain times of the year. Dependant on the speed of the blades, this will have a major impact on the health of those in the shadow of the wind turbines.
• Dependant on the top speed of the wind turbine blades, lumps of ices can be thrown 400 metres. Warning signs of falling ice are in place at Ovenden Moor Wind Turbines (Halifax).  
• The closeness of the vote 8 for 6 against and 2 abstentions indicates this is not a well supported plan, by members in BMBC. There were too many contentious plans submitted on the same day for consideration, which indicates that there was not sufficient time allowed for consideration. The plan of the site submitted to the local planning committee did not clearly show the location of turbine nearest to Foxholes Grove and Middlecliffe Drive and its proximity.  
• The considerable number of objections submitted of almost 500 people and the objection raised by the parish council indicates the proposal is not supported by the community.
• There is no confidence in Banks as a developer, given their track record and relationship with BMBC.
• The proximity of the planned development to the LPG and other gaseous points at the Hepworth Industrial site is of significant concern. This site is included in the top 12 MAJAX plan for Yorkshire. In the event of a gas emergency, any other neighbouring development could have a serious impact to a recovery plan.
• A public footpath will need to be moved, especially during the construction stage. This was not in the planning application and will need a seperate application.

For this application to be properly evaluated, everyone needs to write to the addresses below voicing your concerns. If you fail to raise them now it maybe too late......

Keep all your letters short and to the point, the list above is a guide and CLOWT encourage everyone to raise their own concerns.

 

Who to write to:-

 

For the Attention of: Julia Gibson

Government Office of Yorkshire and Humberside

Nidd Wing

1st Floor

Lateral

8 City Walk

Leeds

LS11 9AC

Email: julia.gibson@goyh.gsi.gov.uk

***