Wind farm developers 'bribing' planning authorities

Wind farm developers have been accused of “offering bribes” to planning authorities across Lincolnshire.

Conservative county councillor Stephen Williams made the attack on turbine applicants at a meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee at Lincolnshire County Council.

Councillor Williams said: “Wind farm applicants are offering money to parish councils and planning committees in Lincolnshire in order to have their applications approved. They are bribes – it is as simple as that. It needs to stop immediately.

“The people of Lincolnshire don’t want any more wind turbines so why is this happening?”

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Meanwhile Colin Davie, chairman of the environmental scrutiny committee, added: “I also understand this is the case. Any planning authority that has accepted bribes and gone against the wishes of the thousands of residents they have been democratically elected to represent should lose their jobs.

“They should not be surprised at the next election if the people of this county decide to sack them.”

Lincolnshire’s landscape currently has 75 onshore turbines, with dozens more in the pipeline.

The allegations came weeks after the council published the results of a survey into its stance against more wind farms.

The results claimed 89 per cent of people supported the county council’s policy.

The council pledged to stop the “unrestrained invasion” of wind turbines across the country in June last year when the executive, led by Martin Hill, moved to resist new wind farm developments.

Around 4,000 people completed the survey.