Controversial beach cable plans marked for approval

COUNCILLORS have been recommended to approve a controversial plan to site cables for an offshore windfarm through a protected environment.

- ALISON STEPHENSON Local Democracy Reporter

Almost 2,000 objections have been received, and North Devon Council's planning committee will meet next Wednesday to decide the fate of the onshore infrastructure plan.

The White Cross offshore windfarm, a test and demonstration site, is expected to pave the way for future floating offshore wind developments in the Celtic Sea.

The cable route for the five to eight turbines expected to generate enough electricity to power 135,000 homes, will make landfall on the beach at Saunton Sands and extend eight kilometres under Saunton Golf Course and the Taw Estuary, connecting to the national grid at East Yelland.

The area has a plethora of designations and protected landscapes and includes Braunton Burrows, a special area of conservation and UNESCO biosphere reserve known for its rich habitat for birds, bats and insects and flowering plants.