Dengie wind farm plans refused by Maldon District Council

Naseby Energy applied for permission to build 15 wind turbines, along with an electricity substation and underground cabling, on land east of Bridge Wick Lane near Southminster on the Dengie Peninsula.

Maldon District Council rejected the plans, citing a "likely adverse effect on bird populations" and other environmental concerns.

The site is located close to nationally and internationally designated wildlife areas, with planners warning the scheme could disrupt sensitive habitats.

Planning officers said the risk to wildlife could not be ruled out, meaning the proposals conflicted with both environmental regulations and planning policy.

Transport and road safety concerns also played a significant role in the decision.

Philanthropist Lord Martyn Rose of Asheldham, who lives near the proposed wind farm, was one of eight residents to submit a formal objection.

Objection - Lord Martyn Rose of Asheldham (pictured with wife Penny) says he is 'quite happy' the plans were rejected. (Image: Kidney Research UK)

He told the Standard: “The amount of traffic this would create on our little country roads would be abysmal. I should think local people would be very unhappy about that.

“I’m quite happy it’s not going ahead because the local area would suffer greatly, in terms of infrastructure and noise levels thereafter.”

The construction phase would have required the use of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to deliver turbine components and other building materials via narrow, rural roads.

Planning officers said the movement of HGVs would have a “severe and detrimental impact on surrounding rural roads."

The council argued that the surrounding road network was not equipped to handle the volume or weight of traffic that would have been generated, posing risks to safety, potentially damaging road surfaces, and creating hazards for pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders.

Despite talks with the developer to find solutions, the council concluded that the environmental and highway issues were too serious to be resolved.

Naseby Energy has the right to take the decision to appeal through the Planning Inspectorate.