Inspector overturns Truro wind farm rejection

A decision by planners in Cornwall to reject a wind farm application on the outskirts of Truro has been overturned by a government inspector.

Scottish Power had put forward plans to replace 15 50m high turbines at Carland Cross Wind Farm with 10 100m turbines.

Members of the then Carrick District Council voted against them last March. Cornwall Council, which has taken over from from Carrick, said it was looking at the issue of turbines carefully. Carrick District Council was abolished when the new Cornwall Council unitary authority was formed in April 2009.

The decision comes after a week-long inquiry which was held by the Planning Inspectorate in Newquay last week. Scottish Power had explained that the existing turbines were coming to the end of their working life and the new equipment would take environmental concerns into consideration.

The councillor responsible for planning in Cornwall, Graham Hicks, said the council was working to make sure wind turbines were put in the most appropriate locations. He said: "The council is going through a plan at the moment looking at the map of Cornwall and seeing what areas wind turbines would be best placed."