September 6, 2010
England

Large crowds turn out to oppose turbines

www.thisisdorset.co.uk 2 September 2010

Hundreds flocked to Milton-on-Stour on Sunday to protest against new proposals for a wind farm at nearby Silton.

Organisers of the Save Our Silton group were overwhelmed as an estimated 400 people braved wet conditions to demonstrate their opposition to the plan to build four 120-metre high turbines in the Blackmore Vale. The plans by Gloucestershire energy firm Ecotricity were submitted in July after a plan for a larger, six-turbine scheme was rejected by North Dorset District Council in July last year.

Demonstrators congregated at Whistley Farm, Milton-On-Stour, which is less than 1,000 metres from the proposed site, and heard speeches from North Dorset MP Bob Walter and Dorset county councillor Andrew Cattaway, both staunch opponents of the scheme.

The group then marched to the summit of a nearby hill where the Save Our Silton group was flying a red blimp to demonstrate how tall the turbines will stand.

Save Our Silton chairman Chris Langham said: “I was delighted that so many people turned out to send out the message loud and clear to Ecotricity that we don’t want their turbines here.

“Ecotricity has spent 18 months measuring the wind levels in Silton, yet its revised application is based only on average national windspeeds – so it does not look like they have got a very strong argument to support their case for destroying the landscape.”

Save Our Silton treasurer Ian Barter said people were angered by the new plans.

He said: “People are feeling very irritated that something that has been unanimously rejected by councillors has come back as a nearly identical proposal that they will have to fight against once more.

“But feeling against the wind turbines this time is at least as strong as it was last time, if not stronger.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/09/06/large-crowds-turn-out-to-oppose-turbines/