In 2016, Arnold White Estates submitted an application to Central Bedfordshire Council for a second wind turbine at Checkley Wood in Heath and Reach. We spent the year campaigning in support, especially by encouraging local residents to write in to support the turbine via market stalls in Leighton Buzzard and knocking on doors in Heath and Reach.
This was particularly important as the government had changed the planning rules in 2015 so that wind turbines had to have community support in order for planning permission to be granted.
Gathering support for the turbines
As with many wind turbine planning applications, there was a strong protest movement. There were 147 individual emails for the wind turbine and 576 template emails and/or online petitions against the wind turbine, (template emails count as one email). There were also 250 individual letters supporting the wind turbine, with only 12 from more than 12km away.
As a result of the community support outlined in the letters, the wind turbine became the first in England to be granted permission since 2015. We believe the decision was also helped by a large public meeting on climate change chaired by local MP Andrew Selous and organised by Low Carbon Leighton Linslade, a coalition of South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth and Leighton Linslade Christian Ecology.
Breakdown of letters in support of the wind turbine
- 41 from Heath and Reach
- 173 from Leighton Buzzard
- 4 from Eaton Bray
- 4 from Dunstable
- 3 from Ellsborough
- 2 from Stanbridge
- 2 from Wing
- 2 from Hockcliffe
- 1 from Leagrave
- 1 from Newton Leys
- 1 from Stewkley
- 1 from Stoke Hammond
- 1 from Tebworth
- 1 from Totternhoe
- 1 from Bletchley
- 12 from addresses more than 12km from the site