March 20, 2008
England

Poll shows opposition to wind farm

An exit poll conducted by members of an anti-wind turbine action group at an npower public exhibition last weekend revealed that 93 per cent are against the power station proposed for Graveley.

npower is proposing to put eight wind turbines on Cotton Farm in the centre of the Offords, Great Paxton, Toseland and Graveley with the nearest houses less than 1 km away.

The Cotton Farm Action Group said they polled visitors as they left the exhibition at Offord Cluny, rather than as they arrived, so that visitors understood the details of the proposals and had made up their minds after careful consideration. Out of almost 500 people polled, three per cent were undecided and four per cent were in support.

Group chairman Bev Gray said: “npower has been quoted as saying that villagers who oppose the scheme are ‘afraid of the unknown’.

“This is simply not true. Many local residents have opposed the scheme from the start, but the exhibition and photo montages have certainly confirmed people’s opinion that a wind farm is not suitable for this location, so close to so many houses.”

The poll’s findings are markedly different to figures obtained by the energy company when they sent out 6,000 copies of their newsletter in November last year. Out of 378 responses, they received 62 per cent in support and 30 per cent opposing their plans.

Responding to the action group’s poll, project manager Kim Gauld-Clark said: “We organise a lot of these types of events around the country and know from previous experience that they typically attract those residents who have concerns about a proposed wind farm, who tend to have questions, want more information and have a strong desire to express their views.

“People who are not concerned about, or support, a wind farm plan in their area, often do not feel a need to attend public exhibitions.

“That said, as well as meeting people who oppose Cotton Wind Farm, we did also speak with local residents who support the plans and others who are undecided, and we were pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with so many local people.”

>> For more information on the proposed wind farm visit the protest group’s website or npower’s

Huntingdon Today

20 March 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/20/poll-shows-opposition-to-wind-farm/