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Shock at wind turbine plans

A proposal to build 125m wind turbines next to a proposed lorry park has caused astonishment.

If the plans go ahead, a construction compound for the turbines would be built on the land at Aldington that Kent County Council has earmarked for the lorry park.

Arup, a firm of consultants, has been appointed by Partnerships for Renewables to carry out a feasibility study for generating wind energy.

The three turbine locations have been marked on a map, but without the knowledge of the landowners, the parish council and Ashford Borough Council. But Arup was unaware of KCC’s lorry park plan.

Phil Scrivener, spokesman for the county council, said: “KCC is aware of the work of Partnership for Renewables and has had some contact with them.

“However, we’ve not received any proposals of this nature.”

Aldington resident Matt Baldwin said: “It’s astonishing that no one is talking to anybody else.”

Cllr Peter Wood (Con), an Ashford Borough Councillor representing people living in the area, said: “I am astonished by the choice of location.

“Clearly it’s very much a desktop study as they are not aware of the lorry park proposal.”

Cllr Wood, a fierce critic of the planned lorry park, added: “I can’t help wondering whether it wouldn’t be better to see a turbine than a lorry park, but I have no fixed views on it.”

Two of the proposed turbines would be built near the Sellindge converter station, between the M20 and Channel Tunnel Rail Link, on land owned by Eric Jeanes. The third would be opposite the Rail Link, on the Wanstall family’s land.

Both of the landowners were unaware of the plans.

The turbines would have a maximum height of 80m, a maximum rotor diameter of 90m and an overall height of up to 125m, making them slightly higher than the ones on Romney Marsh.

A Partnerships for Renewables spokesman said: “We are investigating thousands of sites across the UK to see if they are viable locations for renewable energy projects. Because we are committed to only developing wind turbines in appropriate locations the vast majority of sites currently under investigation will not progress through to development.”

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