Investigation puts the wind up developer
A wind farm developer is being investigated by the Advertising Standards Authority over leaflets distributed in a community where it wants to build turbines.
The authority is looking into a complaint against BT over its claims for schemes to build two wind farms at Wingates, near Longhorsley.
The first step was taken on Tuesday night when two wind speed testing masts intended to pave the way for 125-metre (410ft) turbines were unanimously approved by the county planning committee. Planning officers had said the test masts at East Wingates and Wingates Moor Farms would have little effect on the landscape.
The population of 33 in the remote village face the prospect of six wind farms containing 32 turbines, if all the proposed schemes go ahead. BT has not yet sought permission for the turbines.
Tuesday’s committee meeting heard from objector Dr Gilbert Roberts, a psychology researcher at Newcastle University, who said: “BT has distributed leaflets which make a number of claims which are currently being investigated by the Advertising Standards Authority.
“They make claims suggesting the plans are more environmentally friendly than they are.”
Richard Ford, speaking for BT, said the test masts would not affect farming or public access in their three years on site. They were in line with national and local policies and would appear inconsequential in the landscape.
Five households objected. The Wilson family, who farm and have holiday homes at Garrett Lee, say they would lose thousands of pounds of income each year and have to close their horse riding enterprise.
Mrs DL Pickering described the idea of turbines as “a monstrous desecration of the countryside for the residents and wildlife. Tourists, ramblers and visitors from abroad come to our area for its renowned beauty. Visitors are vital to the economics businesswise for our area.”
Fiona Johnstone wrote: “If both of these proposals were to go through, then we would have over 20 turbines in a very small location.
“I appreciate that we have to look at alternative energy solutions, but it seems very irresponsible of the authorities to allow such major development to go ahead in such a small location…
“Sadly, these developments are only instigated by the farmers’ greed and not where the wind farms would have the most beneficial impact.”
John Thompson said public money would be invested in the wind farms, which would harm areas already publicly funded to benefit wildlife.
Dr Roberts wrote: “Ten, or a hundred, turbines at Wingates will unfortunately have no impact on global warming.
“It will not even be a gesture.
Cause of the complaint
It is understood the ASA is looking into three claims made in the BT leaflet.
1. The development is to reduce BT’s carbon footprint but the complainant suggests it is really a “double-accounting ruse” in which BT claims carbon-reduction commitment (CRC) credits while counting wind energy against its carbon footprint. It is suggested it is misleading to say the project will reduce carbon emissions.
2. Wingates is said to be in a zone suitable for wind farm development, but in fact the Regional Spatial Strategy planning blueprint does not place it inside a zone suitable for development.
3. This relates to a claim the two clusters of turbines would contribute 14.2 per cent of Northumberland’s 2010 renewable energy target of 212MW.
It is argued this is misleading because the turbines could not possibly be operational by 2010, so cannot contribute to a 2010 target; the target figure will already have been surpassed by other projects which will come to fruition before this one; the figure assumes the turbines will work at maximum rated capacity. A figure of 30 per cent would make it equivalent to less than 5 per cent of the target figure.
Morpeth Herald
5 December 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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