Beach electricity cable plans approved
BBCHighly controversial plans to bring an electricity cable from an offshore wind farm onshore at a Devon beach have been approved.
White Cross offshore windfarm wants to put seven floating turbines about 30 miles (52km) off the north Devon coast and plans to bring a power cable onshore at Saunton Sands, then under Braunton Burrows and across the Taw Estuary to connect to a new electricity substation.
More than 1,800 people objected to the plans.
Councillors at the North Devon Council planning meeting held at Barnstaple Rugby Club were won over by the developers' argument that the project would create new jobs and bring renewable energy to the region.
Objectors cited concerns about the impact on tourism, on the environment and about high numbers of heavy goods vehicles.
About 100 members of the public came to the meeting with the vast majority against the plans.
Lucie Tamlyn, from Saunton Beach Villas, said there would be a huge impact on tourism.
She said: "We can't see how we would continue to attract guests during these works."
Helen Cooper, who has led a campaign to oppose the plans, said she was "bitterly disappointed but not surprised".
Leading figures from business and education spoke in favour of the application at the meeting held at Barnstaple Rugby Club.
Paul Coles, CEO of the South West Business Council, told councillors they should be excited about the opportunity and said: "Let's play a real part in delivering renewable energy in our region."
Bill Blythe, vice principal of Petroc College, described the project as "an investment in renewable energy and in the future of our students".
He said the scheme would bring "high quality jobs while preserving what makes our region special".
Al Rayner, the project director for White Cross, promised his company would "inject £153m into the local economy" and it was an "enormous" opportunity.
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