Western Morning News
 
TURBINES 'WOULD POSE A THREAT TO TOURISM'


09:00 - 26 February 2004
Plans to build three 266ft tall wind turbines in North Devon would harm the area's tourist trade, a public inquiry has been told.

The inquiry is hearing an appeal against Torridge District Council's refusal to grant planning permission to build the turbines at Higher Darracott, near Torrington.

In support of the district council's stand against the turbine application by local farmers Perry and Sara George, the chief executive of the North Devon Marking Bureau, Nigel Smith, warned that the turbines would harm existing tourism and threaten its future development.

Mr Smith said that about one-quarter of Devon's tourism industry is in the geographical area of North Devon and brings about £255 million to the local economy.

He said that specifically in the Torridge district, tourism produced £134 million of expenditure, supported just under 5,000 jobs and accounted for about 18 per cent of employment.

Mr Smith said that the tourism industry's promotional message about North Devon encouraged visitors to look at other areas away from the coast and that, particularly since the foot and mouth crisis of 2001, the aim had been to get people to look at more rural areas.

Mr Smith said: "It is considered that this application, together with the approved site at Bradworthy in 2003, would have a cumulative effect on the landscape that would be in total conflict with the images and products that have been developed for the area, some of which have been successfully created using millions of pounds of EU, public and private sector investment."

Mr Smith said that the proposed wind turbine development would be contrary to the aims of the recently drawn-up Community Action Plan for Torrington, which is the nearest town to the proposed turbine site. "The majority of tourism operators in Great Torrington considered that the turbines would be detrimental to both their businesses and the area," Mr Smith said. "There is no evidence to suggest that wind turbines are a positive attraction for tourists and, indeed, evidence from key target visitor segments would suggest that they be deemed as major eyesores. Their omission from marketing material in Cornwall would suggest this, too."

A survey was carried out by the marketing bureau among accommodation providers in the Torrington area, many of whom felt the proposed turbines would be detrimental to the area.

One farmhouse bed and breakfast provider said: "Torrington is improving a lot and we get more visitors now than we ever did because of our very good attractions, 1646 and Rosemoor Gardens, it would be a shame to spoil the landscape and their impression of our lovely town with the first thing they see."

Yesterday at the hearing, which is being held at Langtree Village Hall, near Torrington, landscape expert David Williams accepted that there were likely to be other parts of the Culm measures landscape, which covers about half the county, which would be able to accommodate a small wind turbine scheme of up to five turbines, although he did not feel Higher Darracott was such an area. He said although it might not be special, it was historic.