September 14, 2007
England, Letters

Residents not consulted on wind farm

The article “Residents’ views considered in new wind farm plans” (Times & Star, September 7) is incorrect in reporting that a public meeting had been held at the request of Westnewton Parish Council and that the wind farm plans take residents’ views into consideration.

Despite earlier offers to hold a meeting in June or July, Broadview Energy have only recently proposed a date, at the end of September, for a public display about the Warwick Hall wind farm.

At their request, Broadview Energy gave a short presentation about the project at a meeting of Westnewton Parish Council on May 10. This is the only ‘public’ meeting in Westnewton that Broadview has attended.

Since the initial proposal, the scale and location of the turbines have been changed and Westnewton Parish Council is unaware of some of these facts – locations in particular.

How, therefore can residents’ views have been considered?

If the development contains five turbines of 107 metre tip height, probably similar to the two close to the chemical plant in Siddick, then given that much of the site is 35 metres above Westnewton, the perceived rotor tip height will be 142 metres (466ft) at village level.

These huge structures would be arrayed along a ridge that commands the Solway Plain west of Allonby and will be clearly visible from south west Scotland the north Lakeland fells and much of the north west Solway area.

The turbines at Bothel are visible for many miles, but are about 21 metres (69ft) shorter than those planned for Westnewton!

The general tone of the article reads like an advertisement for Broadview and asks no questions about the justification for despoiling a pretty Cumbrian village.

I am surprised that the Times & Star did not ask local residents or Westnewton Parish Council for their view.

JOHN RYDEN

Chairman,

Westnewton Parish Council

Times & Star

14 September 2007


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/09/14/residents-not-consulted-on-wind-farm/