Eric Pickles, heritage hero

A surprising claim but perhaps true for once…. The Secretary of State has thrown out controversial plans for six 110m wind turbines at Thornholme Field in the Yorkshire Wolds. English Heritage and East Riding Council had opposed the plan but an Inspector had allowed it. Now Mr Pickles has overturned the decision saying he shared English Heritage’s view that the development would cause harm to the setting of many heritage assets, including Rudston Beacon. He found the Inspector had placed “less weight on the issue of harm than was required“.

But there’s the rub. How much harm is too much harm? Blowed if we know, or the parties involved, so it comes down to what Eric says. Or to be more precise, it comes down to whether the various parties have deep enough pockets to take it all the way to Eric to see what he says. Nearly always he comes down in favour of the developer so hurrah to the good guys for pursuing this case and coming out winners! As Councillor Frazer observed:

“This raises a glimmer of hope in our hearts …. We were getting a bit despondent that the refusals of planning permission were continually being overturned. This gives us hope that in the future, where we refuse permission and have strong arguments for refusal, they will carry more weight”.

(A bit personal, that!)

We were getting a bit despondent that the refusals of planning permission were continually being overturned.

“This gives us hope that in the future, where we refuse permission and have strong arguments for refusal, that will carry more weight.”
Read more at http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Thrown-Wind-turbines-Yorkshire-Wolds-site-near/story-21137503-detail/story.html#p3XfH4iVbzloK6AD.99

that the proposal would cause harm to the setting of many heritage assets, including Rudston Beacon.

He found the inspector had placed less weight on the issue of harm than was required.
Read more at http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Thrown-Wind-turbines-Yorkshire-Wolds-site-near/story-21137503-detail/story.html#p3XfH4iVbzloK6AD.99

shared English Heritage’s view that the proposal would cause harm to the setting of many heritage assets, including Rudston Beacon.

He found the inspector had placed less weight on the issue of harm than was required.
Read more at http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Thrown-Wind-turbines-Yorkshire-Wolds-site-near/story-21137503-detail/story.html#p3XfH4iVbzloK6AD.99

shared English Heritage’s view that the proposal would cause harm to the setting of many heritage assets, including Rudston Beacon.

He found the inspector had placed less weight on the issue of harm than was required.
Read more at http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Thrown-Wind-turbines-Yorkshire-Wolds-site-near/story-21137503-detail/story.html#p3XfH4iVbzloK6AD.99

shared English Heritage’s view that the proposal would cause harm to the setting of many heritage assets, including Rudston Beacon.

He found the inspector had placed less weight on the issue of harm than was required.
Read more at http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Thrown-Wind-turbines-Yorkshire-Wolds-site-near/story-21137503-detail/story.html#p3XfH4iVbzloK6AD.99