Blackburn man installs wind turbine but can’t shortcircuit planning

8:10pm Sunday 6th July 2008

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By Camilla Sutcliffe »

A MAN is bidding to beat spiralling energy costs after installing a wind turbine at his Blackburn home to generate his own electricty.

Phil Proffitt, 41, of Eastcott Close, Blackburn, said he had already gathered enough charge to power his house for the day after erecting the turbine on Thursday.

The internet entrepreneur is testing out the technology on his own home, before implementing his plans to build a new business installing them in other houses.

He said he had received no complaints from his neighbours, and that he had not applied for planning consent because the government is expected to scrap the need for permission for home green-energy sources.

But the council said that he would have to submit a planning application to keep the turbine as the government had not acted yet.

The father-of-two said: “People have to wake up to the reality that wind turbines are going to be all over the country before too long, and they are just going to have to get used to seeing these things.

“They are no more obtrusive than big satellite dishes - people used to complain about TV aerials in the 40s, and then it was satellite dishes, and now a few people will complain about this.

“People might be annoyed by it, but they will be even more annoyed in the future if we have long power blackouts and they can’t turn their kettle on.”

Neighbour George Hudson added: “It’s something new but it’s not really that obtrusive - it’s no skin off my nose.

“All I’ve said to him is that if he produces enough, he should let us all plug in to it!”

But other neighbours, who asked not to be named, said the turbine was all they could see when they looked out of upstairs windows.

One said: “I think it looks a mess, and I wouldn’t like to be stood on the street if anything happened to it and part of it dropped off.”

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration, said that planning rules changed in March to allow householders to install energy generator devices such as solar panels and heat pumps but wind turbines were excluded.

This was so that investigations could be carried out regarding the noise and vibration they may cause, with the EC then required to make a directive, he said.

Coun Cottam said: “It is not yet clear when this will be.

"Therefore, planning permission is required for the turbine erected by Mr Proffitt and we would invite him to submit a planning application.

“Presently, there is no policy on domestic wind turbines, but this will be looked into the new Supplementary Planning Document "Extending your home", which is being drafted by the Council's Forward Planning team."