February 8, 2007
U.K.

Wind of change

Could there be soon be wind turbines on the piers – or windmills on the cliff-top?

Putting up wind turbines along the coastline is just one of the suggestions put forward by Bournemouth councillors to show the town’s commitment to tackling climate change.

Conservative Cllr Dave Smith told members of the council’s environment scrutiny panel on Wednesday: “I would like to see a windmill on the end of Bournemouth Pier. Or why not along the cliff-top?

“One set of people would say it would spoil the views but it would say that we in Bournemouth are doing our best to help climate change.”

He called for a review of all sites in the town that could be suitable for wind turbines.

And his suggestion for highly visible forms of sustainable energy along the coastline was also backed by Boscombe West councillor Phil Stanley-Watts, who added: “I also support a windmill on Boscombe Pier.”

Another idea put forward by environment scrutiny panel chairman Cllr Roger West was for a wave energy machine under Bournemouth Pier.

Suggestions Bournemouth could adopt these forms of sustainable energy may become part of the council’s revised Climate Change Strategy.

Bournemouth council and Bournemouth Partnership first adopted the strategy in 2003 to help meet its commitments to tackle climate change.

Scrutiny panel member Cllr Basil Ratcliffe was sceptical about the impact local measures could have on global climate change.

“We must have a sense of proportion,” he told panel members.

He said the UK contributed very little to global carbon emissions compared to countries such as the US, India and China.

By Lynn Jackson

8 February 2007

thisisdorset.net


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/02/08/wind-of-change/