'Wind turbines will be a blight for the future' 

Anti wind turbine protesters claim the Fens will be “blighted for generations” if proposals for a wind farm at Marshland go ahead.

In a statement issued today, the campaign group FLAT – Fenland Landscape Against Turbines – said: “So we now know the details about Phase 1 of the Marshland Fen Power Station proposal.

“Be under no illusions that Phase 2 will follow and if Coldham is anything to go by, so will Phase 3 and 4!! If this proposal goes ahead this area will be blighted for generations to come because these turbines will spread like a rash!!!

“They are planning to build nineteen turbines each with a capacity of 3 mega watts (MW) which means that the total generating capacity is over the fifty required to try and bypass local democracy!!!

“This is because any proposal above fifty MW will ultimately be looked at by national Government in London (i.e. BUR which used to be the DTI) which will decide the fate of individual householders living in this area.

“However, the proposal will still have to go through local planners first via the Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Development Control Board (DCB). If they turn it down it would have to go to Public Enquiry which still gives us the opportunity to influence National Government. Not all public enquiries have reported in favour of the developers in the past.

“The developers tell us that they intend to submit a planning application in 6-8 weeks. If the DCB turn the project down it will then go to public enquiry which will take place about 12 months later and last for 3-4 weeks.

“It is therefore essential that the local planners are fully aware of the strength of public feeling against this proposal. This can occur by effective lobbying and we at FLAT will provide full details of how to do this!

“Also ask yourself this – if they got planning permission for the seventeen, why would they stop at that number? Look at the map of where they will be built – there are some large chunks of land that they could infill with turbines at a later date.

“This is exactly what has happened at Coldham where they have gradually grown from nine to twenty four (when the current proposal is completed). Is this what you want to happen to our area?

“They also told us that the choice of turbine was “very special” with their press release saying that they will be Enercon ‘E82’ type turbines. They go on to say that “their performance is in all respects excellent and part of their elegant design is based on drawings by Sir Norman Foster”.

“What they do not tell you is that the E82 only comes in as a two MW unit (even though they are proposing to build three MW turbines). Apparently this new 3MW turbine is currently under development and is still only at the prototype stage. There are a lot of technical difficulties to overcome. Basically they intend to ram a 3MW generator into a housing designed for 2MW technology and one of the key problems they are trying to overcome is how to stop them overheating! Our area would therefore be one of the first developments to use these new 3MW turbines.

“Do you want to be a guinea pig for new, untested technology that can ruin health, destroy lives (and livelihoods) and pose a serious Health and Safety risk?

“As for the £500K bribe – look at the small print once it is finally released. The payment will be over 25 years and therefore represents about £20K per year (if it actually materialises).

“When you look at how many people will be affected by the development this represents a bribe of about 1 or 2 pounds per year per person. Also bear in mind when inflation is taken into account this will be only be worth a few pence per person in 25 years time. This does not seem much compensation for the desecration of our landscape, fall in house prices and possible health implications!!!

“Also bear in mind the your £1 bribe will enable the landowners to make between £8 and 15K per turbine per year while the TWO shareholders of Marshland Windfarm Limited will make hundreds of thousands of pounds per turbine per year in indirect subsides PAID FOR THROUGH YOUR ELECTRICITY BILLS.

“We are holding a public meeting at Marshland St James Jubilee Hall on Tuesday the 25th March at 7PM. The main emphasis of this meeting will be to update you on developments and to give details of how we can fight this development both individually and collectively.

“We look forward to seeing you there.

The Wisbech Standard

13 March 2008