Turbine causes concern

Plans for a wind turbine in Carlton-on-Trent are causing concern for residents.

The GHFP Vere-Laurie Trust is considering installing a 74m-high turbine on a field.

An application has been submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council for an opinion on the proposed turbine. The Vere-Laurie Trust wants to know if the council would require an environmental impact assessment should it go ahead with a full planning application.

It follows a successful application last month by Mr George Anthony Vere-Laurie for a wind-monitoring mast on a nearby field.

A resident, Mrs Liz Hopkins, said she could not understand how the council could not require an environmental impact assessment.

“This is going to be the biggest structure around. People are going to see it for miles. It will impact on wildlife as well as communities,” she said.

The district councillor for the area, Mrs Christine Rose, said people were concerned that if permission was given for one wind turbine more would follow.

She said the proposed turbine would alter a very attractive view of the Trent Valley coming from Ossington into Carlton-on-Trent.

The Vere-Laurie Trust’s agents, Engena, say it is anticipated that no environmental impact assessment will be needed because the proposal is for a single turbine located outside any sensitive areas.

They say the turbine would be 500m from the nearest home and was not expected to create any significant impact.

Engena say assessments will be carried out on behalf of the Vere-Laurie Trust as part of a formal planning application.

These will include ecology, landscape and visual, traffic, archaeology, noise, aviation, and telecommunications signals assessments.