Chetton Parish Council Objects to New Wind Turbine Application at Upton Cressett

At an extraordinary meeting of Chetton Parish Council held on Monday 23 March, councillors agreed to object to a planning application for a 77m wind turbine at Criddon Hall Farm, Upton Cressett. The meeting was attended by around 70 members of the local community who objected to the scheme.  Jon Halle of Sharenergy, who submitted the application, explained that the previous application, submitted in 2013 for two wind turbines at the same site, had been withdrawn following a report by the Shropshire Council planning officer recommending rejection of the scheme. The revised proposal is for one turbine but retaining the same height. Following questions from councillors, Mr. Halle said the scheme would not provide any additional local employment. He also said the turbines would be imported from abroad.  Mr Charles Gill, who spoke on behalf of Chetton parishioners objecting to the scheme, said that the turbine would devastate the landscape and threaten the efforts of the local community to encourage tourism citing the opening of a community public house at Neenton as a recent initiative.  Mr Gill said Neenton Parish Council had expressed their objection to local wind turbines.

After the meeting Tim Morris, of Stop Bridgnorth Wind Farm action group who are campaigning against the turbine application, said “the turn out to the parish council meeting showed the strength of feeling within the community against this turbine scheme. This revised application continues to be totally inappropriate in the area especially in the prominent position proposed.”