Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Windfarm survey was not all it seemed
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Throughout the West Country the windfarm developers flock to the planning departments pursuing the hugely profitable subsidy of the Renewables Obligation without which their gigantic machines could not be built.Many home owners are concerned about the impact on property value and indeed, in 2004, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) published a survey of its members throughout the UK which showed 60 per cent of members considered that “windfarms decrease the value of residential properties where the development is within view…” Furthermore “once a windfarm is completed, the negative impact on property values continues but becomes less severe after two years or so after completion.”
Nothing can erase this UK-wide report from the historical record, but there are now claims that a new survey by Oxford Brookes University and RICS shows that windfarms do not impact on property value.
If however, we look carefully at this Oxford Brookes survey, it is based on two small windfarms in Cornwall, of which the turbines are less than 60m tall compared with the present industry standard of 120m and proposals by Gamesa for 180m (600ft) giants in South Wales.
The authors of this new report are more honest than the wind power developers with their warning that “as more windfarms are built, more property will become proximate. Therefore, a cautious approach should be adopted until a larger and more in-depth study can be undertaken.” The wind promoters understandably ignore this “health warning”!
Dr John Etherington
Llanhowell, Pembrokeshire
1 May 2007
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
Wind Watch relies entirely on User Contributions |
(via Stripe) |
(via Paypal) |
Share: