March 28, 2008
England, Letters

Rural tranquility will be lost

I was shocked that your article about wind turbines (March 21) gave an unchallenged platform to the developers.

So many of Mr Fornal’s claims are blatant distortions of the facts.

The majority of people surveyed in the locality by Abbots Bromley Parish Council were against the development.

Many families closest to the proposed development are not at all reassured; in fact they are very fearful.

Bagot’s Park is the worst possible wind farm site for many people who live next to it.

It is more than folly, and a cavalier disregard of near neighbours, to jeopardise the environment with such a huge development based on inadequate data. The hurry is because if the turbines are not spinning by 2010, the ROCE subsidy the developers get will be halved, making the development much less attractive. The recommended minimum distance for wind turbines from homes in Scotland is 2,000 metres, in France it’s 1,500 metres. Why do Airtricity and Douglas Dale want to put turbines less than 1,000 metres of 10 homes in Staffordshire, one home at only 490 metres (Parkstile)? Answer? Because the subsidy makes turbines the most profitable thing Douglas Dale can do with his land. Why should near neighbours accept these developers overwhelming the rural tranquillity of their homes with turbine noise that would be four times louder? In practical terms, the rural tranquility would be completely lost all the time the wind blows, day and night, 365 days a year. Why do these developers want to be allowed to make more noise with their turbines during the night than during the day? If this development is so essential, then why don’t these developers compensate the neighbours? Around 166 turbines would be needed to make 10 per cent of the electricity Rugeley power station makes. This wind farm would be the first in Staffordshire. Maybe the next one will be on some open ground near you?

Martin Horan High Trees, Uttoxeter

The Sentinel

28 March 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/28/rural-tranquility-will-be-lost/