Richard Moore is a Russian tank specialist and over the years has dealt in many unusual items from the war. His battle with planners over a wind turbine though has been lost.

A MARCH businessman has been refused permission to build a wind turbine on his land.

Mr Moore hoped to build a wind turbine in Creek Road

Richard Moore, of Three Acres, Creek Road, said he had spent £90,000 on the proposal but his appeal against Fenland Council’s refusal has been dismissed by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate.

“In this case the impact would not be acceptable and could not be made so,” the planning inspectorate ruled.

“Nor do the benefits associated with the scheme outweigh the harm it would do.”

The scheme would have “an unacceptable visual effect and no means were suggested by which it could be made visually acceptable”.

The proposed location for the wind turbine

The inspector who conducted the appeal inquiry said a light engineering company and a plasterer worked from the site and both spoke on Mr Moore’s behalf.

Five jobs are based there, he said, but the plasterer used little electricity and there was no feed from the turbine to the National Grid.

Against the scheme was the “charm and quality” of the view which would be considerably reduced by the turbine. Viewed from Nene Parade it would be “clearly visible and out of place”.

Public footpaths run along both banks of the Nene that passes the appeal site and the turbine would an “overbearing effect on walkers.” Boats passing would get the same effect.

When the application came before planners Mr Moore had claimed it would provide “longevity to the site and create more jobs than all the other turbines in Fenland altogether.”

But Councillor Jan French disputed his claim that the turbine would be a catalyst for business and said the land was needed for housing.

She said: “I support local businesses but I cannot see any justification that this wind turbine would support local business, especially due to the economic climate.”