April 3, 2008
England

Another MP backs wind farm protest

The community campaign against plans to erect six wind turbines at Manor Farm, Silton, has gained the support of another MP.

Following a visit from North Dorset MP Bob Walter early last month, the Save Our Silton campaign last week received the backing of Andrew Murrison MP, whose Westbury constituency is near the site green-energy company Ecotricity hopes to place six turbines of up to 120 metres tall, almost two-and-ahalf times the height of King Alfred’s Tower at Stourhead.

The Save Our Silton campaign, chaired by village resident Chris Langham, was officially launched on 19 March following a series of public meetings about Ecotricity’s proposal, which follows its unsuccessful bid to build a wind farm at nearby Cucklington.

The proposal came to light when a document was sent to local parish and town councils and other bodies questioning whether there were any major issues that would prevent a wind farm on the site.

Mr Langham said: “Dr Murrison’s visit to Silton reminds us that the wind farm proposal is not just a parochial issue. This inappropriate, subsidy-driven, industrial development would have a negative impact on the landscape of a very broad area and on the amenity of the many people who live and work there.

“It is really good to see our MPs coming together to address this cross-constituency issue.”

The group has now launched its own website www.saveoursilton.org and is planning a series of further events, including a public meeting at the Lecture Hall, Mere, tomorrow at 7pm, which Dr Murrison plans to attend.

He said: “It seems unlikely that onshore wind turbines will do much to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, although my objection in this case, and in the case of the Cucklington plans a few years ago, rests on the damage they can do to sensitive countryside.”

Western Gazette

3 April 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/04/03/another-mp-backs-wind-farm-protest/