A controversial planning application to build a windturbine on Parker Lane at Whitestake has been rejected.
At a planning meeting on Tuesday evening South Ribble Council took the decision to reject the proposal on the grounds that it would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt and it would harm the character and openness of the Green Belt contrary to policy.
436 letters of objections were submitted to the committee from local residents with complaints ranging from the impact on local wildlife to concerns the structure would interfere with the radar at nearby defence giant, BAE Systems.
Paul Coxhead, a salad grower on Parker Lane, submitted the application for the wind turbine to help generate power during the winter months.
Though he already has solar panels which can generate up to 100kw of energy, which will run in the summer, during the winter more power is needed and there are less hours of daylight.
He currently spends £50,000-a-year on electricity to run 16 acres of greenhouses growing salads, including 130 heaters.
Mr Coxhead said: “I cannot be bothered with it any longer, it has upset so many people in the village now. “I am going to wait and see what happens with another application in Little Hoole in a few weeks time and maybe reassess my situation after that. The impact will be that I shall have to continue paying £50,000-a-year for my energy bills and that is only going to rise.
“We cannot afford to soak up that cost, we shall have to pass it on to our customers.”
On the application’s refusal, he added: “I am disappointed, but more disappointed that my consultant discredited the argument that the turbine would interfere with a radar at BAE Systems at the meeting, yet this was still the reason given for its refusal.”
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