(21.07.2020)

Wind turbines applied for in Bösensell

 

Press article from the Westfälische Nachrichten of 21.07.2020

For months, there has been a lull in the use of wind energy. But the topic is now being given new impetus. Westwind Projektierungs GmbH & Co. KG (Kirchdorf) has just submitted an application to the district of Coesfeld, being the responsible approval authority, to build two wind turbines north of Bösensell. Their hub height is 161 meters, so that their total height, including the 79-meter rotor blades, adds up to 240 meters. By comparison, the turbines at the Aldenhövel wind farm have a hub height of 149 meters and a total height of just under 210 meters.

The permit application and the associated documents and expert reports, including the environmental impact assessment, will be available for inspection from Friday (July 24) to August 24 inclusive, both at Senden town hall and at the Coesfeld district administration. Citizens and authorities can then submit their suggestions and concerns to the district of Coesfeld or the Senden municipality until September 24.

“We have received confirmation of the completeness of our application,” André Meyer explained when asked by WN. “By default,” the Westwind Energy project manager continues, “an approval procedure takes approximately seven months. Should the district of Coesfeld as the approval authority actually give the green light within this time frame, then the approximately six-month construction phase could begin at the end of 2021. “The wind turbines can supply around 28 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. That is equivalent to the consumption of about 8,000 households. The price tag for each turbine is likely to be around six million euros,” Meyer cites further planning data.

The politics and administration of the Senden municipality expressly support the construction of wind turbines. In this regard, the climate protection resolution adopted unanimously at the end of 2019 states: “The council of the municipality of Senden is therefore committed to the expansion of wind energy in order to give wind energy substantial space within the framework of municipal control. The land use plan amendment necessary for this will continue to be pursued with high priority.” Nevertheless, the Senden politicians could find themselves in a predicament when (presumably) on August 27 (Thursday) the community development committee (GEA) discusses the community’s consent to the construction of the two Bösenseller wind turbines. Because: “The procedure is legally complicated”, admits Carsten Busche. In 2019, an area scenario with concentration zones for wind turbines was indeed drawn up, which also included the areas north of Bösensell, the head of the Senden building administration department explains. “However, this scenario is not legally binding, because the necessary change of the land use plan (FNP) is pending.” The reason: Due to changes in the state development plan and in the building code regarding the minimum distance of wind turbines from residential areas, as well as in view of various court rulings, the municipality has suspended the procedure for amending the FNP for the time being. Thus, the land use plan valid since 2003 is currently in effect, says Busche. And the plan only permits the construction of wind turbines in the villages of Kley and Schölling. Thus, it is questionable whether the local politicians are actually allowed to give the community’s consent – which they would actually like to give. These and other questions concerning the approval procedure are to be discussed with the district of Coesfeld and experts in the run-up to the public GEA meeting on August 27.

The next milestone in the wind turbine approval process is a public hearing scheduled for November 18 (Wednesday) at Senden City Hall. “Parallel to that, we are working on how to finalize the land use scenario – with a view to federal and state policies as well as current case law,” Busche announces.

By Siegmar Syffus

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