Anger over turbine U-turn

11:01am Friday 11th April 2008

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Controversial plans to install six wind turbines on top of a historic council building and a 20m generator on a public lawn are to be considered again.

The proposals, for King's House in Grand Avenue, Hove, were initially withdrawn after councillors decided they needed more time for consideration.

One 20m turbine is proposed for Hove Lawns, and six smaller turbines, which would require listed building consent, are planned for the roof of the Brighton and Hove City Council headquarters.

Council leader Brian Oxley said at the time it had not been established whether the turbines would generate enough energy to outweigh the issue of installing them in a conservation area.

Opposition councillors claimed the scheme had been shelved because it was unpopular with the area's councillors and people living in central Hove.

The plans were sent back to the council's sustainability commission, which was supposed to rule on whether the project should go to a planning committee.

But instead councillors on the group complained the report was lacking in detail and asked for a more in-depth study.

However, Labour, Green and Lib Dem councillors outnumbered the ruling Conservative group to force the proposal back before a planning committee.

At the time, Labour group leader Councillor Gill Mitchell said delays to the project were damaging the council's green reputation.

The planning committee will meet next week and its officers have recommended that the goahead be given to both the large turbine and the six smaller ones.

English Heritage made no comment on the applications.

However, by the time its report was completed, the council had received 77 letters of objection from members of the public.

The concerns raised included the worry that the turbines would be an eyesore in the historic surroundings, that they would produce only a negligible amount of power, and that they would cause noise pollution.

One objector, Tara Graham, of Grand Avenue, said she and other residents of the road had not been properly consulted on the plans.

She claimed the applications were an infringement on her "right to peace and tranquillity".

Recommending the applications to the committee, the council's planning officers said: "The application makes a contribution to renewable energy generation in accordance with planning policy.

"The submitted acoustic report demonstrates that the proposed wind turbine would not be detrimental to the residential amenity of neighbouring properties by way of noise and disturbance or visual intrusion.

"The impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area and adjoining buildings is not considered significantly harmful."

The council's planning applications sub-committee will meet on Wednesday to decide whether to grant planning permission.

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