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‘Forgotten’ by wind farm plan
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People living near the site of a planned wind farm say they feel like residents of a “forgotten village”.
Public consultation for Newton Down Wind Farm got under way last week.
Renewable Energy Partnerships Ltd (REP) wants to build three wind turbines, each with 80m towers and three 45m blades, on a disused airfield near Stormy Down.
But Colin and Stephanie Ball, who live half a mile away in Stormy Lane, fear three turbines could lead to more.
One of their main concerns was the proximity of the proposed turbines.
“We are not against wind farms,” said Mr Ball.
“We support wind energy, but it’s where they want to put them.”
Members of the public have until July 31 to put forward their views on the wind farm via a website.
REP hopes to put forward a planning application for the wind farm in 2009 with a view to erecting the turbines between 2010-11, if given the go-ahead.
Mr Ball feared the 15 houses in Stormy Lane, built in 1936 for the air base, will suffer television interference.
And Mrs Ball said she did not think the visualisations on the website painted a true picture of how the turbines would look from Stormy Lane.
“They took a photo from the road, instead of from the houses,” she said. “We want to know exactly where the turbines will be in relation to our houses.”
Duncan and Joan Blight, also of Stormy Lane, said they were worried about the extra traffic the development would bring.
“Eleven people have been killed in accidents on the road (next to Stormy Lane) in the last 16 years,” said Mr Blight.
“Drivers have enough to distract them without having three turbines to look at.”
REP has arranged to visit Mr and Mrs Ball within the next month to take a photo from their house to create a new visualisation.
REP director, Richard Hadwin, said the nearest property in Stormy Lane would be 760 metres from the turbines.“We have received 20 replies to date to the consultation,” he said.
“Every query will be personally addressed. In this way we can provide the information people need to properly judge the proposals and also to correct any misunderstandings that might arise. Replies should be issued within a couple of weeks.”
Not everyone in the area opposes the turbines. Sandra Grindley, who moved to Stormy Lane in September, said: “They have to put them somewhere. We’ve just got to accept that wind farms are going to be built.”
But neighbour Mandy Baldwin, who has lived in Stormy Lane for 15 years, said: “It could be the thin end of the wedge.
“They put everything up here. It’s like being in no man’s land. It’s a nice peaceful area and they just stick everything next to us. We are like a forgotten village.”
by Julia Bosnyak, Glamorgan Gazette
17 April 2008
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