SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has won its battle to put up a 34 ft wind turbine at the Ludlow store. Back in October 2008, Tesco was refused permission to put up the 10.6m high wind turbine at Station Drive, Ludlow.
But the company appealed against the decision, and now a Government planning inspector has said yes to the scheme, but with some added conditions.
Planning inspector Andrew Pykett dismissed concerns that the look of the turbine would spoil the Ludlow Conservation Area and that noise would disturb locals.
Back in October 2008, the Campaign to Protect Rural England was against the plans.
A letter from the CPRE stated: “Ludlow is a particularly attractive market town. Much of its future depends on tourism.
“The position of this turbine at the approach to the town centre is too big and out-of-keeping with the townscape and would be used as a precedent in future applications.”
Ludlow Town Council also wrote a letter of objection.
It said: “The visual impact of the turbine is incongruous to the low-rise street scene of the car park area. The turbine would be distracting and therefore potentially hazardous for drivers and pedestrians using Station Drive.
“In terms of energy production of 6kw max output is not sufficient to warrant the detrimental visual impact of the turbine.”
But the planning inspector felt that the turbine would appear “insignificant” against the background of St Laurence Church. In terms of noise, inspector Mr Pykett attached a condition to permission which would limit noise from the turbine.
He added: “Wind turbines do generate noise. I do not anticipate that noise would either harm residential amenity or disrupt sleep.”
The inspector was keen to point out the eco-friendly benefit of the turbine, even though it will only generate a small amount of power.
“There are no doubt many other ways in which supermarkets would be able to reduce emissions of C02 – some ways may be more effective than the installation of a wind turbine. However these cannot devalue the benefit of the appeal proposal,” he continued.