May 9, 2008
England

Galsworthy residents face second application from Ecotricity

Ecotricity has once again applied for planning permission to erect 4 100 metre high industrial wind turbines on land between Stibb Cross and Bulkworthy.

Galsworthy residents are mounting a second opposition campaign in the face of another turbine application from Ecotricity. An earlier application from Ecotricity for four one hundred metre high wind turbines on farmland between Stibb Cross and Bulkworthy was refused in February 2008 on the grounds of a formal objection from Natural England.

The objection from Natural England was that the turbines would be a significant threat to bats and would also mean the removal of an unacceptable amount of Devon hedge bank. The new application is for four one hundred metre high turbines at the same location, Galsworthy Farm in Stibb Cross. Ecotricity has moved the proposed siting of the turbines to overcome the formal objection from Natural England.

Laura Holt from Savenorthdevon.com says ‘‘Wind turbine developments do little towards saving carbon emissions but they are such a profitable investment for the developers that its no surprise that Ecotricity has re applied for this development. The saddest thing about the whole ‘wind turbine debate’ is that whilst our rural countryside suffers, and the developers make their profits, climate change remains unaffected. Contrary to the developers spin, wind turbines do not reduce carbon emissions*

* The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform estimates that by 2010, the very large number of wind turbines installed will achieve total CO2 savings of less than 2% of the UKs emissions. This very modest saving would cost the UK consumer nearly £1 billion per year via the Renewables Obligation and would see our beautiful countryside littered with wind turbines. The fact that the intermittent nature of wind power generation requires constant back up from traditional power generation sources means that onshore wind power will never make a significant impact on reducing our current CO2 emissions.

* Ecotricity planning application
* Location of E70 Turbines (map 1)
* Location of E70 Turbines (map 2)
* Download Galsworthy Wind Farm opposition letter

Save North Devon

9 May 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/05/09/galsworthy-residents-face-second-application-from-ecotricity/