A coordinated attempt by Dinkeland municipal politicians to force Overijssel County to have more control over the installation of wind turbines appears to have failed for the time being. In response to a letter from the municipal council, the regional executive stated that the arguments presented to prevent the installation of wind turbines on the edge of the Natura 2000 area near Denkamp are not officially valid.
Wind energy is possible
The municipal council has asked the province (through the council) whether it is possible to reverse the boundaries of non-national landscapes that have been “extended” in the context of RES 1.0. The province now notes that the national landscape boundary has not been modified by the environmental regulation amendment. The environmental regulation – previously adopted at the request of municipalities in North-East Twente (!) – states that wind energy is possible in the national landscape under certain conditions. This will remain the case according to the governorate.
“Wrap around the ears”
This was exactly the “diabolical dilemma” that politicians in Dinkeland faced at the end of last year when criticism mounted against the development of four industrial wind turbines on the edge of the Natura 2000 area near the built-up area of Dinkamp. Benny Teaguecott (Local Dinkeeland) then said he had previously received a “round the ears” from the province when he asked for a proposal to respect national landscape boundaries when installing wind turbines. Until then, according to Tigcoat, the county said those limits have been adjusted “at your request.” “But this happened in the previous period to different colleges in the north-east of Twente, with the aim of making the installation of wind turbines possible.”
Space for alternatives
At the request of the Dinkeland Municipal Council, the council also asked the province to provide space for the municipality to achieve its climate goals with alternatives to sun and wind. Partly on the basis of a proposal from the VVD party, a specific request was made to provide freedom “to realize the energy transition together with its population, while achieving the legal target of reducing greenhouse gases by 55% until 2030 and 100% until 2050”. Central to and not specific to the way in which greenhouse gas reductions are achieved. The province says it is willing to offer this space, provided it relates to alternatives “in addition to RES ambitions” and therefore not “instead of”.
Read also
Overijssel County's new wind policy creates clarity for municipalities and residents
No spatial arguments
Because the arguments put forward in the letter for changing wind policy are not spatial arguments, the province sees no reason to include them in the decision-making process. The precautionary principle as well as other environmental impacts will be discussed in a later step in the process. The same applies to an environmental impact assessment, which will be carried out in response to a specific application. Then the criteria against which a particular project is evaluated are also examined.
Wipe from pan
The county points out that the standard cited in the letter of 4x tip height and 10x mast height for the built-up area is not a standard that has been “further proven and upheld by the courts.” At that point, politics in Dinkeland also suffered a heavy blow. “Suggesting that your council is empowered to link these conditions to the realization of wind energy does not contribute to transparency and clarity for our residents. We have a shared responsibility to properly inform our residents about the frameworks we can put in place and the responsibilities we have for this.
“Coffee buff. Twitter fanatic. Tv practitioner. Social media advocate. Pop culture ninja.”
More Stories
Which can cause an increase in nitrogen.
The Central State Real Estate Agency has no additional space to accommodate Ukrainians.
The oystercatcher, the “unlucky national bird,” is increasingly breeding on rooftops.