I used to agree with councillor Julian Brazil that a South Hams policy on wind turbines was required, and indeed wrote to him on that very topic.

The experience of the Chivelstone Barton wind turbine application has, however, changed my mind.

SHC already has many policies which it can apply to make a decision on a planning application in addition to the AONB management plan eg. landscape character, historic environment, development in the countryside. In the case of the Chivelstone Barton wind turbine the SHC officers recommended rejection of the application on the basis that it would breach several of these policies. However, the councillors on the development control committee decided otherwise, councillor Brazil himself both speaking and voting in favour of the application.

There seems to be little point in having yet another policy which can be ignored by the development control committee. The solution to the effective control of wind turbines in the South Hams is not more policies, but to elect councillors who care more for our environment and landscape than they care for the ability of a few fortunate individuals to make money from an over-generous renewable energy subsidy scheme.