Wind of change brings a storm
A gale of protest about intrusion and lack of consultation has blown out plans for a wind turbine at a West Norfolk School.
A planning application for the 12-metre-high installation at St Martin at Shouldham Primary School has now been withdrawn pending further consideration by the school governors.
The 20,000 wind turbine was proposed as a means of generating electricity for the school, saving about 2,000 a year, and teaching pupils about renewable energy.
But residents have described the proposed structure as an infernal machine, a monstrosity and a blot on the village's conservation area.
West Norfolk Council received about 40 letters of objection, including a 22-signature petition.
Residents were angry that more people were not consulted about the plan and pointed out that a planning notice was not placed on the school gate until after pupils left to start their Easter holiday.
A number of objectors said turbines should be placed on open, elevated sites whereas Shouldham was in a valley.
Other objections included noise pollution, possible detrimental effect on property values, shadow flicker (possible risk to epilepsy sufferers) and the proposed turbine's closeness to pupils, a public footpath and neighbouring properties.
Many residents voiced their protests at a meeting in the village on Monday.
The headteacher of the school, Marika Mears, attended and afterwards said the school governors had not appreciated that the planning consultation process would involve only eight houses.
"We were firmly convinced that there would be consultation over a much wider area and did not envisage that the period would fall over the Easter holiday," she said.
The governing body had withdrawn the current application, partly because there had been inadequate time for full and detailed consultation, and would reconsider what to do at its next meeting.
She said the school had sought technical advice about the scheme and the site was only fractionally under the minimum wind speed requirement for effective use of the proposed wind turbine.
Mrs Mears added: "The school feels its success is due to the support we receive from parents and the community. We thrive and hopefully will continue to thrive on that. We do not want to upset the good relations we have had in the past."
Shouldham councillor Geoffrey Hipperson said he believed the school would work more closely with the parish council and consult residents more widely in future. Mr Hipperson lives in the village but not near the school. He said he was not opposed to wind turbines in principle but questioned the wisdom of putting one at the school because of the land height and the closeness to people's homes.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 0 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
