Shailesh Vara, Member of Parliament for North West Cambridgeshire, has welcomed today’s decision by Eric Pickles MP, the Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, to refuse planning permission for the Bicton Wind Farm in Huntingdonshire.

The proposed site at land west of the Bicton Industrial Estate between Kimbolton and Stow Longa, was subject to a planning application for three wind turbines and associated infrastructure in April 2013. The local planning authority, Huntingdonshire District Council, refused the application in September 2013 and the developer, Broadview Energy Ltd, took the application to appeal with the Planning Inspectorate. A public hearing took place in June 2014 but in the meantime, Eric Pickles MP, decided to ‘call in’ the application for a Ministerial decision rather than for it to be determined by a Planning Inspector. It is the second planning appeal that the site has been subject to in the last 3 years.

In his decision, Mr Pickles, considered that the factors weighing in favour of the turbines were outweighed by the harm that would be caused to heritage assets and their setting, and also the living conditions for those in the immediate vicinity of the proposed turbines.

Mr Vara commented:

“I am delighted that Eric Pickles has decided against these wind turbines which would have clearly been inappropriate for this area. Whilst the site is just outside my constituency, the turbines would nevertheless have had an impact on a large number of residents I represent and who live in the villages close to Kimbolton.

This campaign has been ongoing since May 2009 and has resulted in two appeal hearings with the Planning Inspectorate at great expense to both local people and Huntingdonshire District Council. I commend the hard work put in by the Stop Bicton Wind Farm Action Group which has driven opposition to the plans and whose members I know will be delighted with this decision.

The local communities concerned can now get back to enjoying their beautiful surroundings without the constant worry of an imposing planning application.”