Riders fight wind turbine plans
Horse owners in Arborfield, Reading, are fighting a planning application to build four wind turbines near a bridleway.
The four 130m turbines are due to be constructed on Reading University land just south of the M4 by Partnership for Renewables.
One of the turbines will be 200m from a bridleway.
The British Horse Society (BHS) recommends turbines should be situated at least three times the height of the turbine away to avoid frightening horses — a minimum of 390m. But government guidance states 200m is acceptable.
Campaigners want locals to send their objections to Wokingham Borough Council by 30 November.
BHS Berkshire access officer Jill Coates said: “The developers have been helpful and removed a turbine that would have been 120m away.”
Two riding schools and many livery yards rely on the bridleway.
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Teresa Patrick from Cloud Stables told H&H: “It’s horrendous. We’re not sure how the horses will react and we have no other route.”
Liz Connolly, who owns a small livery yard near the proposed site, is very concerned: “Not only is there visual impact, but there will be disturbance during construction and horses will be spooked.”
Tony Duffin from Partnerships for Renewables, said: “We have incorporated feedback from riders and are investigating an additional route which would be 390m from the nearest turbine.”
To send an objection, email: development.control@wokingham.gov.uk quoting F/2010/2266.
And in Staffordshire, breeder Di Fairclough of Castle View Stud in Anslow is campaigning against her neighbour’s plans to locate a 48m wind turbine to power his chicken farm, just 115m from her business.
This article was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound, 18 November ’10
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.