October 31, 2007
England
England
Shocked residents are launching a campaign to stop the building of six giant wind turbines that would overlook Bodmin.
Renewable energy company Ecotricity has proposals to erect the 330-feet high structures on land between Trebell Green and Resperry Cross, near Lanivet.
People in the area claim the huge turbines would be visible for 40 miles and would dominate the local skyline.
They say the turbines would be a blot on the landscape and are about to form an action group to fight the plans.
The energy company admits it has made preliminary examinations of the site and started a consultation exercise, but Ecotricity insists the plans for up to six turbines are at a very early stage.
However, alarmed locals have already held their first meeting and plan another later this week to decide how to fight the turbines.
They have been in touch with a campaign group in nearby Lanlivery which fought a successful three-year battle to stop two wind turbines being erected in that parish.
Local co-ordinator Helen Watson said: “We held our first meeting last week and 32 residents attended. All were 100% against having these turbines here.
“We need to form a campaign group and put together a powerful case if a planning application is submitted.
“We’ve already had some advice from the Lanlivery action group. These turbines will be twice the height of Bodmin Beacon, and close to the important areas of Redmoor and Helman Tor. They will be a real eyesore and property prices will be devalued if they are built.”
Another resident, Keith Farmer, said the turbines had to be stopped.
“They will ruin our little hamlet and the surrounding rural landscape, and we have to fight this now,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Ecotricity said yesterday they were at the first stages of assessing the development potential of the site and were gaining the views of organisations such as English Nature and the Ministry of Defence before a decision is made on whether to go ahead with a planning application.
31 October 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/10/31/protesters-vow-well-stop-giant-wind-farm/