April 16, 2008
England

FENLAND: Anti-turbine protestor describes arson attack as "act on local government"

A LEADING protestor against plans for 19 wind turbines has described an arson attack at his home as “an act on local government”.

West Norfolk councillor David Markinson’s comments come after an outbuilding at his Marshland St James home went up in flames on Saturday night, causing in the region of £50,000 worth of damage.

He was attending a fundraising auction held by the anti-wind turbine campaign group FLAT when the incident happened.

CLLR DAVID MARKINSON: “”It is an act on local government””.
CLLR DAVID MARKINSON: “”It is an act on local government””.
Cllr Markinson said: “It is not just an act on me. It’s an act on local government, it’s an act on the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and something has got to be done about it.”

Fire-fighters from Outwell, Wisbech and Downham Market spent almost an hour extinguishing the fire in the wooden outbuilding at Cllr Markinson’s home in Rands Drove. Shortly after extinguishing the fire, Norfolk Fire Service confirmed the cause was suspicious.

A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said investigations were continuing but said “there is no evidence at this stage that it is linked to the wind turbine protest. We are keeping an open mind as to the motive.”

The incident at Cllr Markinson’s home is the latest of a string of incidents in Marshland St James over the last 12 months.

Test masts have been demolished, wind farm consortium members’ homes have been vandalised and consortium member Richard Herbert committed suicide after becoming depressed over opposition to the plan.

• The consortium will hold public meetings at the Jubilee Hall on Thursday, May 1, and at Tilney St Lawrence Village Hall the following day. Security guards, employed by the consortium when they met parish councillors two weeks ago, will again be on patrol.

By TOM JACKSON

16 April 2008