Banner protesters' consultation demo
Banner-waving protesters fighting plans for six massive wind turbines near their homes in the Stafford countryside held a demo outside a consultation event.
More than 150 angry residents from villages including Church Eaton, High Onn and Marston gathered to object to the King’s Street wind farm planned for nearby Brineton.
They marched through the lanes to Blymhill Village Hall where the consultation exhibition was held last week.
Bristol renewable energy company Wind Prospect wants to install the 426-feet turbines on land at the Bradford Estate, part of Weston Park, to generate enough electricity to power 6,000 homes. It has yet to put in a formal planning application to South Staffordshire Council.
But worried householders say the turbines will wreck the area, dwarfing trees and buildings, and send house prices plummeting. One house-seller in High Onn says she has already had to put her house back on the market as the buyer pulled out over fears about the wind farm.
Some of the narrow country lanes around the area might also have to be widened to cope with the extra traffic and householders fear it will cause congestion and shatter their peace and quiet.
Campaigners have also accused Wind Prospect of bribery as if the scheme goes ahead the company will provide Church Eaton with a trust fund to benefit the school and community projects.
Campaigner Tony Lendon said: “We are determined to fight this wind farm plan and the strength of objection against it was shown by how many people turned up to the consultation last week.
“We asked a lot of questions and made a lot of comments. We have too many concerns about it.”
Wind Prospect must adhere to strict government targets on noise and cannot put turbines close to homes. If there was a problem the turbines would have to be powered down or turned off.
The company assesses various sites as potential wind farm areas and provides a trust for communities affected by the building of wind farms.
All questions and concerns raised at the consultation will be put on Wind Prospect’s website dedicated to the King’s Street wind farm at www.kingsstreetwindfarm.com
By Sarah Marshall
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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