New House Farm
Our role was to prepare evidence at Public Inquiry on landscape and visual issues and the effects on residential amenity for South Staffordshire Council and the local action group in regards to an appeal by Wind Prospect against the refusal of planning permission for the development of six 126-metre wind turbines on land at New House Farm, Brineton. Focusing within 3km of the development site, key issues were the effects on landscape character, the visual amenity of the historic parkland at Weston Park, the unsuitability of the proposed access for construction and the effects on the residential visual amenity within 1km of the proposed development.
Liz Lake Associates produced all the necessary documentation, including the Proof of Evidence and supporting figures, to act as an expert landscape witness at the Public Inquiry, leading the Inspector to agree with the Council’s reasons for refusal.
The Appeal was dismissed, with the Inspector giving the following reasons: • The substantial change to the landscape character and visual amenities of the area and the setting of Weston Park as well as the living conditions of residential occupiers of identified local properties. • The proposal would be for a limited period of 25 years and is reversible but it would be a very long time for the setting and thereby the visual amenities of the historic cultural landscape would be seriously adversely affected over what would be an unacceptable period for the occupiers of the identified properties.
