The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has been increasingly concerned about the targeting of the East Riding by wind turbine developers.
This particular form of renewable energy is blighting the landscape, despite the best efforts of East Riding Council.
Current government policy confusion encourages wind developers to make applications almost regardless of landscape impact or the suitability of the site.
The East Riding has been overwhelmed by the number of applications and CPRE Yorkshire and Humber is seeking support from local MPs to lobby the Government to develop a strategic plan-led approach that recognises landscape capacity, including the cumulative impact of onshore wind turbines.
We also want to see more power given to local authorities seeking to protect the landscape character through their local plans and in planning decisions and we will fully support East Riding Council in any efforts it makes to wrest back some control over local planning decisions on wind turbines.
Were we all being naive when we thought the Localism Act was intended to give local people more say over local planning decisions?
The proliferation of wind turbines across the area has increased calls by CPRE members for a major rethink by the Government on this particular form of renewable energy, which we all pay for in inflated energy bills, and has such a huge impact on the visual landscape.
Party members are set to gather at the Gynsills pub, next to County Hall in Glenfield, to outline policies they hope will help them make inroads at the Leicestershire County Council elections next month.
The party, led nationally by Nigel Farage, has produced a manifesto it will be using in local elections across England, but said its policies would resonate with voters in Leicestershire.
Former deputy county council leader David Sprason, who defected to UKIP from the Conservatives this year, said: “Our manifesto is specific to local elections and most of the issues raised go across the entire country.”
He said a UKIP-controlled county council would freeze council – the Conservatives who currently control the council have proposed raising it by 1.5 per cent annually for three years after the election.
“We will freeze it for four years. We will pay for that by cutting council managers. We have too many bloated chief executives of departments. “We would also cut the size of the cabinet by 50 per cent.”
Coun Sprason said UKIP would lobby to leave the EU and spend the UK’s contribution to Brussels on local government services. UKIP’s manifesto also opposes wind turbine and solar farm subsidies and the HS2 rail scheme.
It carries a prominent warning that the “UK will open its door to unlimited numbers of people from Romania and Bulgaria” from 2014. Coun Sprason said: “We will call for an in/out referendum on Europe now.
“We will also have local referendums on important issues to give people a say on things such as the Barwell expansion.
“We are the new kids on the block and the other parties are running scared. We are getting a really good reception on the doorstep and we are listening.”
County council Labour group leader Max Hunt said: “When communities in Leicestershire are facing very complex problems, UKIP has come up with simplistic solutions that won’t work.
“It’s hard to take seriously. They are trying to frighten people with their talk of immigration.” Coun Kevin Feltham, who is running the Tory campaign, said: “They are promising things they cannot achieve at the county council – things that would need changes by the Government.
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