[UK-CONTEST] Planning Application Lincolnshire and now Wind Turbines

[Nick Totterdell]

Hi

You may remember I am pursuing a planning application for amateur radio
aerials for a paddock behind a cottage in Lincolnshire which I have been
intending to buy. My planning application was rejected in November 09 and my
subsequent appeal is nearing its completion. I have been invited to a site
inspection along with the district planners on Monday 22 February.

There has been a fairly major development however and that is that the local
residents have been circulated a brochure for a proposed Wind Farm at Gayton
le Marsh see http://www.gaytonlemarshwindfarm.co.uk. If the current proposed
layout of the windfarm were adopted this would mean that there would be 14
turbines near to my proposed antenna site, the nearest being less than 1
kilometre away. This brings several issues that need consideration (property
value, potential for holiday letting, could such a visually intrusive
proposal be accepted when my aerials were rejected, etc.) but from an
amateur radio perspective the obvious issue is whether having a wind farm so
close would make HF radio operation untenable. Do any members of the group
have experience of HF operation near to a wind farm? Please contact me and
let me know your experience of this.

Additionally there is another property for sale in the relatively near
vicinity which may be an option if the planning appeal fails. This property
has nearly an acre of garden with vehicle access and so I could possibly
site my mobile towers here without planning consent. If you remember, the
problem with mobile towers at the first location is that they would be on
agricultural land - hence the planning application for change of use. This
second property would be 3km from the wind farm and so again I am interested
in the experience of any group member.

Of course there is every chance that the wind farm will not happen as I
suspect every other field in Lincolnshire has a wind farm proposal
currently.

73 Nick G4FAL