Plans for 56 wind farms near Robin Hood airport
01.12.06
Robin Hood Airport has been notified about 56 wind farm proposals within a 20-mile radius of the terminal, a spokesman for the airport revealed. Eleven of the 56 schemes which they have been informed of since opening last year fall within the planning system and that they are objecting to five of them.
The information was revealed by the airport following accusations by environmental lobby group ERA4Wind that bosses at Robin Hood Airport were not doing enough to support renewable energy projects. Members of ERA4Wind have been angered by objections the airport has made to windfarms on the basis they could prevent planes from flying in to and out of the site safely.
The airport recently objected to a controversial plan for 28 turbines at a site in Thorne because it was feared that it may hamper air traffic control around the site by creating 'clutter' on radar. Experts also highlighted the negative impact 22 giant wind turbines near Thorne Moors Nature Reserve could have on the future growth of the airport.
Airport managing director David Ryall said: 'Peel Holdings Limited [the owner of the airport] is not against renewable energy, or wind farms in particular - far from it. The company operates in both the renewable sector and aviation sector and therefore is well place to take a balanced view on stated requirements for renewable energy and the development of the UK Government's aviation policy, which encompasses the growth of Robin Hood Airport.'
'The interaction of wind farms and aviation is recognised by both sectors as a complex issue. UK Government safeguarding procedures require airports to consider wind farm proposals on a case-by-case basis to ensure preservation of a safe operating environment around the airport.'
'If a proposed wind farm site does not conflict with aviation safeguarding requirements the airport would not object, as is the case for many of the proposed sites. Where there is a safeguarding conflict an objection will be retained unless the developer can propose mitigation measures to overcome whatever the conflict may be.'
