Anger at Sopley wind turbine plans

The plans, submitted by Hampshire County Council, propose to put the 60 kilowatt per hour, 15m high turbine on the playing field at Sopley Primary School in South Ripley.

Nicky Passmore, who lives next door to the school in the tiny rural village of Ripley, said that she and her neighbours were protesting about the turbine over concerns about increased noise and development on the green belt.

She said: “A lot of residents are concerned about the turbine with many worried about the noise it is going to create. Apparently it will be running at about 50 decibels and the normal amount of noise we get here is 20 decibels.

“While we accept that the county council did consult with us, it was to the letter rather than in the spirit of the process.

“We’ve let them know our concerns, and they have those of Sopley Parish Council and New Forest District Council, but they won’t make any changes.”

Sopley Parish Council has objected over concerns the school wastes energy due to its existing structure, with a poll of residents showing that nearly 70 per cent of local residents were opposed to it.

New Forest District Council also objected saying the height and siting of turbine would be an intrusive feature and have a detrimental effect on the character of the surrounding countryside, but their environmental officer did not raise concerns over the increased noise.

The proposal was due to go before Hampshire County Council’s regulatory committee earlier this month but was withdrawn at the last minute due to the chairman and the vice-chairman requiring more information on the technology and impacts on the environment of the turbine.

According to a report, which will be presented to the committee on November 11, the main issues concerning the application relate to the visual implications for neighbouring houses and the wider countryside, the impact on wildlife, the benefits of the proposal and the noise impact.

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