Wind meter near village approved

Plans to install a wind meter in Leicestershire have been approved.

Harborough District Council gave the go ahead to Broadview Energy to put up the anemometer at a site near Ashby Magna in the next few months.

Residents were concerned about its impact on noise, traffic and house prices and if it would lead to a wind farm being built on the site.

Broadview Energy said wind farms produce clean renewable energy without any carbon emissions.

Geoff Corrigan, managing director of Broadview Energy, said: "They do create a small amount of noise, but they are easily measured and that is the reason we place them away from residential areas... about 400-500m."

'Good site'

Mr Corrigan said a number of studies were under way to address issues like ecology, background noise in the area, the landscape and visual impact that the turbines would have.

A consultation has also started, during which the company has met parish councillors and will also talk to local residents.

Mr Corrigan said: "We have spent a fair amount of time looking at this site already and we believe it is a very good site to erect a small wind farm"

He said although a final decision to build a wind farm was up to the council, "if we did not feel we were going to, we would not spend all this money".