December 25, 2006
U.K.
U.K.
Hundreds of people have signed a petition opposing controversial proposals for a wind farm.
Residents in the villages of Knighton and Bearstone are up in arms over plans to erect nine wind turbines on nearby farmland. Energy firm Nuon Renewables is behind the scheme and has submitted a planning application to North Shropshire District Council for a mast to measure wind in the area.
Paul Fenwick, a 38-year-old financial adviser, said around 500 people had signed a protest petition so far.
He lives in a grade II-listed house in Smithy Lane, Knighton, which is on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border. He said: “It is a house of historical interest and is listed in the Domesday Book. If the wind farm goes ahead it will devalue property and it could be the difference between you being able to sell your house or not.”
Mr Fenwick said wind farms should be limited to offshore schemes rather than on land near people’s homes.
And he said the wind farm near Knighton would have a negative impact on wildlife in the area, including flocks of Canadian geese, falcons and bats. He said: “We have a lot of wildlife. There are 250 Canadian geese which spend most of the year here because there are lots of little ponds, lakes and streams.”
He said he was worried birds and bats could be injured by the blades of the turbines.
Mr Fenwick said: “It is completely the wrong place to put these things. I think renewable energy is a good thing but we need to find more efficient solutions than wind energy.”
Nuon Renewables, which attended a public meeting in Knighton earlier this month, has said it is still assessing the scheme’s viability.
Graham Davey, the development manager for the project, said the company would not go ahead with the scheme if the negative impact of the turbines was too great.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/12/25/hundreds-sign-up-to-oppose-application/