Agenda item

8.1

The Director of Regeneration and Development Services submitted a report in respect of the proposed development of a wind turbine at Sheephouse Farm, Mortimer Road, Cubley and request from Barnsley M.B.C for comments from Sheffield City Council upon the application.

8.2

The report stated that a planning application, including an Environmental Statement, had been submitted to Barnsley M.B.C for the erection of a 900kW wind turbine, with a height to hub of 52 metres and with a 27 metre rotor radius giving a height to blade tip of 79 metres.

8.3

The application also included a proposal for a 60 metre high meteorological mast to be erected for 2 years prior to the construction of the wind turbine in order to obtain detailed wind data from the site.

8.4

The turbine was required to power a dairy unit at the farm, replacing a generator, and any surplus energy generated would be fed back into the National Grid.

8.5

The turbine was to be located at Sheephouse Farm, approximately 1 kilometre north of the nearest built up area of Stocksbridge and about the same distance from Midhopestones. The turbine was close to and would be visible from Stocksbridge and its surrounds within the City Council area and, accordingly, Barnsley M.B.C had notified the City Council of the receipt of the application and requested comments.

8.6

Representations were made by two local residents and a local ward Councillor, opposing the application and requesting that the City Council write to Barnsley MBC to object to the development. They commented that the consultation process had been flawed, taking place during the Summer holidays and not consulting with all those affected. The size and scale would be overly dominant in the landscape and would set a precedent.

8.7

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)

notes the officer’s comments within the report submitted; and

(b)

requests that Barnsley MBC be informed that the Local Planning Authority had no objection to the proposal to erect a wind turbine at Sheephouse Farm, Mortimer Road, Cubley subject to a condition requesting an alternative TV service to be provided where the wind turbine affects TV reception, but that the City Council had concerns that residents within Sheffield had not been consulted properly in respect of the application.