Red kites and other rare birds of prey would be
at risk from big new wind turbines proposed for a zoo near Huntingdon, a
conservation organisation has warned.
An objection to the scheme at Hamerton Zoo Park
by a member of the British and Irish Red Kite Co-ordination Group said the
birds would “undoubtedly” be at risk.
The zoo wants to install two new turbines
standing almost double the height at 150ft as its current turbines.
People living near the zoo are also objecting to
the scheme because they believe it would have a major impact on the small rural
community.
Members of Huntingdonshire District Council’s
development management panel came close to refusing the turbine plan at their
meeting in August, but decided to defer their decision until after making a
site visit and gathering further information.
Planners at the council are standing by their
original recommendation that the bigger turbines should be approved. They
believe the scheme would not have a major impact.
Cllr Doug Dew, panel chairman, said they would
have to agree plausible reasons for rejecting the application and that the site
visit would take in similarly-sized turbines elsewhere so councillors could
make a comparison.
He said: “We have to find positive reasons for
saying no which stand up. If we do that would be brilliant.”
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