Withdrawal of controversial schemes

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a wind turbine development near Beccles have been withdrawn just hours before a decision was due. Renewable energy company Stamford Renewables Ltd (SRL) was seeking planning permission to build three groups of three turbines at Devonshire Farm and Granary Farm, both in Ringsfield, and Laurels Farm in Barsham.

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a wind turbine development near Beccles have been withdrawn just hours before a decision was due.

Renewable energy company Stamford Renewables Ltd (SRL) was seeking planning permission to build three groups of three turbines at Devonshire Farm and Granary Farm, both in Ringsfield, and Laurels Farm in Barsham.

The plans were due to be discussed at a meeting of Waveney District Council's development control committee last night.

But just hours before the meeting was due to start, the district council notified residents and interested parties that the three planning applications had been withdrawn.

There has been strong local opposition to the scheme and a campaign group called Halt has been formed to fight the plans.

A Halt spokesman said: “We are clearly disappointed. We have had this hanging over our heads for three years. We are disappointed that the applicant chose to withdraw before this meeting, which a lot of people had made arrangements for, at the last minute.

“Our position remains - we still believe this scheme is wrong for the landscape of Beccles. It is too near the Broads and far too close to residential property.”

Mike Stamford, chief executive of SRL, said: “A huge amount of work has been put into the three projects over the past two years, but there are still a handful of issues outstanding which are now being investigated by SRL. Work is continuing at a pace and SRL intend to re-submit all three applications in due course.”