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Wind taken from sails of green-minded couple
by Alex Scapens27/ 8/2008
A STOCKPORT couple’s bid to create a ‘zero carbon’ home have been blown off course after they were refused permission to use their own wind turbine.
Chris Urwin and Debra Burns, of Cobden Edge, Mellor, want to spend around £40,000 converting their home so it becomes completely self-sufficient for energy and helps combat global warming.
This included solar panels, a ground source heat pump and a 9m wind turbine - which would have produced electricity for their house and excess power to go back into the National Grid.
But Stockport Council - whose motto is ‘Cleaner, Greener, Safer, Stronger’ - has said the turbine’s impact on the surrounding green belt may outweigh any environmental benefits from renewable energy.
Chris, 40, said: "It was an integral part of the plans but we are not finished and will try to find a different way. We are quite interested in the environment and want to make our contribution. The issue is balancing the need for renewable energy with the need for having a nice green belt and we want to keep our neighbours happy. We knew it wouldn’t be plain sailing as it is controversial but we would argue the wind turbine would not have a big visual impact."
The couple hope their project will help raise awareness of environmental issues and persuade other households to follow suit. An extension as part of a planning application submitted to Stockport Council would have extra insulation to reduce energy escaping. And Chris says his home would have only used a fraction of electricity generated from the turbine, with most being used by other people.
A Council spokesman said: "We informed Mr Unwin that the wind turbine he hoped to erect fell outside the planning application site area, and could not constitute part of the application. If a planning application for a wind turbine is to be submitted, the energy benefits arising from it must be balanced against national and local planning policies protecting the green belt."
Kate Eldridge, from Stockport Friends of the Earth, added: "We fully support Chris and Debra in their efforts to go green. There is a balance to be struck as to which renewable technologies are appropriate for different locations. The Government should do more to provide incentives so that more of us can invest in renewable technology."
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27/08/2008 at 13:20
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