Villagers' concerns at 131m wind mast
Villagers have met with water company officials to voice their concerns about plans for a wind mast taller than Big Ben near their homes.
Almost 200 people packed in to a Checkley pub for a public meeting about the controversial plans, as part of a fight to stop the plans put forward by Severn Trent Water.
Protesters beamed white lights in to the sky to try and show the enormity of the proposed mast, which could be 131m high when installed next to Checkley sewage works.
One of the campaign’s leaders Keith Flunder, who lives in nearby Fole just 700m from the base of the proposed mast, told The Advertiser that the officials from Severn Trent who attended the meeting couldn’t answer a single question.
He said: “They did come and put themselves forward but they should have been better prepared. They refused point blank to discuss things directly with us. Both the borough council and Severn Trent are giving out the minimum amount of information either way.
“We have always insisted that if only they talked to the people affected they may be pleasantly surprised that local people want to reduce their own carbon footprint. What they want to do is force this on the community with the support of the government. In a democracy that seems a bit odd.”
The aim of the mast is for wind testing at the beginning but residents fear it will lead to full-scale turbines at the site.
Mr Flunder said as far as they knew they are the largest population to be affected by such a scheme.
He said: “There are 61 plus houses within 1,000m of it, as well as a school and pubs. The noise and vibration generated is not designed for somewhere where houses are so close. Scotland has minimum distances for where homes can be but there is no legislation in England.
“All the laws don’t apply for wind masts and turbines here. It is a really big cover up that has been going on for more than a decade now. This is not the way to do it; they are taking our rights away. We are being forced top-down by central government. There is no democratic process going on here.”
Despite the majority of the homes near the sewage works being in the Staffordshire Moorlands the site is in East Staffordshire and the application goes before Burton Town Hall on March 16.
By James Brindle
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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