The East Sub-Area Planning Committee met to discuss planning application PA24/06612 regarding the repowering of a wind turbine near Michaelstow. Councillors voted to grant delegated authority to the Service Director for Planning and Housing to approve the application, pending further consultation and subject to amended conditions. The committee also noted an item for information regarding appeals.

Wind Turbine Repowering

Councillors voted to grant delegated authority to the Service Director for Planning and Housing (Chief Planning Officer) to approve application No. PA24/06612, for the repowering of a wind turbine on land west of Helsbury Park Woods, subject to conditions.

The decision is contingent on there being no objections from the Ministry of Defence (MOD), National Air Traffic Services (NATS), and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) following consultation. The committee also agreed to amend condition 7, extending the decommissioning and removal timeframe for the turbine to 30 years (instead of the originally proposed 25 years). An additional condition was added, stipulating that details of the specific turbine model (not exceeding 67m to the tip), including colour, finish and model, must be submitted and approved by the Local Planning Authority before installation.

The application seeks to replace an existing 400kW wind turbine with a more modern and efficient turbine capable of generating up to 900kW. The proposed turbine would have a hub height of 40m, a rotor diameter of 54m, and a blade tip height of 67m.

Nicola Gilmour, a member of the public, and Councillor Whitby of Michaelstow Parish Council, spoke against the application, while Simon Johnson, the applicant, spoke in support. Councillor Dominic Fairman, Electoral Division Member, noted that the Parish Council had near unanimous objection to the application, but that his own views differed. He also raised concerns about noise and shadow flicker, while noting the benefits of modern turbines being programmable to mitigate these issues.

During the debate, councillors discussed the efficiency of modern technology, the potential harm to the national landscape and local residents, and the history of previous applications on the site. Some councillors expressed concern about the damage that could be caused during the construction of the new turbine.

The initial report ¹ presented to the committee noted that the proposed repowering would assist in Cornwall Council’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030, aligning with the Climate Emergency Development Plan Document. It also acknowledged that the increased height and size of the turbine would result in a degree of additional harm to the landscape, conflicting with Policy 23.1 of the Cornwall Local Plan and saved policy ENV01 of the North Cornwall District Council Local Plan. However, the report argued that this impact was tempered by the existing wind turbine on the site.

Appeals Report

The committee noted an item for information regarding appeals ².