Warning on further windfarm schemes
A councillor has warned campaigners who successfully fought plans for a windfarm on Cannock Chase not to rest on their laurels – warning a fresh application could be submitted at any time.
A councillor has warned campaigners who successfully fought plans for a windfarm on Cannock Chase not to rest on their laurels – warning a fresh application could be submitted at any time.
Councillor John Jillings says there was a chance a new application could be submitted by another company despite Harworth Power Ltd withdrawing plans for three wind turbines on the Bleakhouse site in Heath Hayes. The company withdrew an application earlier this month.
The decision sparked delight for residents who were part of the Bleakhouse Windfarm Action Group.
But the company has an agreement with Peel Holdings (Energy) Limited which gives it exclusive rights to assess the potential of the windfarm.
Councillor Jillings said: "The action group worked tirelessly against this application and in the end they won. But I don't think the battle is necessarily over yet.
"We must not rest on our laurels as I feel that this situation could easily jump up and bite us on our bums.
"This battle is won but the war is not yet over. I feel there is nothing to stop another power company submitting a further application to Cannock Chase Council to put wind turbines on this site.
"I think we need to be ready and waiting and prepared for the next battle to commence," said Councillor Jillings.
The energy company Harworth Power Ltd notified the council that it has withdrawn the application for the former Bleak House opencast mining site at the start of the month.
It was at this point that Harworth also informed the council of an agreement it holds with Peel Holdings (Energy) Limited.
This agreement gives Peel Energy exclusive rights to assess the potential of wind farm development, submit planning applications and – subject to permission – build and operate wind farms on a number of UK Coal sites including Bleak House.
