February 7, 2008
England
England
Protesters targeted an exhibition about proposals for a major new wind farm development near Yarm.
The exhibition concerned plans to build between eight and ten 125m-high wind turbines on farmland between Hilton and Seamer villages, near the A19.
Developers Broadview Energy Ltd hope the project will be up and running by 2010.
The company organised the event at Hilton Village Hall last night at the request of Hilton Parish Council to provide residents with information about the scheme.
But around 20 villagers met outside the village hall to protest about the development, before bombarding Broadview managing director Jeffrey Corrigan with questions.
Resident Dr Chris Gibbs, who organised the protest, said the turbines would be better suited to an industrial area.
“Most people in the village are probably in favour of renewable energy, but we have got to select the correct place to build them,” he said.
“To put them between two lovely villages where a lot of people are living in desirable properties is not a suitable option.
“It will ruin the landscape and in addition to that, it will devalue the houses.”
Mr Corrigan acknowledged residents had mixed feelings about the development, but said the company was trying to answer their questions.
“The big thing is it’s going to produce clean, renewable energy for approximately 12,000 homes throughout the area,” he said. “The Government have set out targets for renewable energy and this is one way of meeting that.”
7 February 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/02/07/turbine-protest-by-villagers-in-hilton/