March 21, 2008
England

Campaigner dismisses wind farm plan's 'green' claims

A Chase Terrace resident is organising a petition and website protesting at plans for a wind farm on the nearby former Bleak House open cast pit site.

Dave Baker, of Kingsdown Road, said: “My own opposition against onshore wind farms has arisen as a result of my own hard research, and far from a ‘not in my back yard attitude’, as some councillors have disrespectfully commented upon, as a reason why people are against the de velopment.”

The three 102 metre turbines proposed by Harworth Power, each generating 2.3 megawatts of electricity, would only be 700 metres from houses in Chase Terrace.

But Mr Baker said: “Having read the technical environment al statement produced by Harworth Power and researched the pros and cons of onshore wind farms, I feel that these are not the answer to combating climate change, even in part, and they are far from the environment ally friendly solution that many people perceive once you read about the facts.”

According to Harworth Power’s environmental statement, the planned site at Bleak House could potentially serve up to 3,310 homes with energy.

But Mr Baker said that in total he estimated 8,000 local homes were within one mile of the proposed site. “The potential energy production from this site at best for 3,310 homes is far outweighed by the negative effects that will be felt across 8,000 homes in the immediate vicinity.

“These include reduced house prices of up to 40 per cent, increased background noise, the visual impact, the strobing effect as the blades cut out sunlight, the dispersal of rare wildlife and the degradation of a nature area and designated Site of Specific Scientific Interest,” he claimed.

He urged people in the district to make their comments known to planning officer John Heminsley at Cannock Chase District Council, quoting application reference CH/08/0001.

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Click here to visit Mr Baker’s website and here to see Harworth Power’s statements and planning application.

Click here to see information from Cannock Chase District Council on the planning process.

Lichfield Mercury

20 March 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/21/campaigner-dismisses-wind-farm-plans-green-claims/