November 18, 2010
England

Campaigner tells of fear in village

Derbyshire Times, www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk 18 November 2010

A concerned resident has spoken of the fear sweeping through a village fighting plans for a new wind farm.

Alison Rodgers told how Palterton residents are “losing sleep” after Barlborough-based firm Banks Renewables submitted plans to Bolsover District Council to build three wind turbines on fields in the village.

The proposed development would generate enough renewable energy to power more than 4,000 local homes and businesses every year.

But Mrs Rodgers, of Back Lane, Palterton, said: “There’s a lot of fear here in Palterton. And I’m not exaggerating, but a lot of people are losing sleep over it.

“Residents got together and did a door-to-door survey recently, and it turned out that 93 per cent of people don’t want the wind farm.

“There’s concern about the sight of them – they’re going to be looming over us – and people are worried they’ll be too close to our community.

“One will be 500 metres from the bottom of an old woman’s garden.”

Mrs Rodgers added: “There’s not a lot of people who can say anything good about them.

“We’re not going to gain anything from them.”

Banks Renewables wants to build the turbines on fields to the east and west of the junction of Glapwell Lane with Losk Lane, Palterton.

Original plans, submitted at the start of the year, proposed the erection of five wind turbines, but after objections from residents, the plans were revised and the new planning application is for three wind turbines, measuring 125m high.

A planning decision is expected to be made by Bolsover District Council next year.

Phil Dyke, managing director of Banks Renewables, said: “A great deal of detailed planning goes into choosing the most appropriate location for each individual wind farm plan that we put forward, and in this case, the site has been selected due to the suitability of the landscape and the recorded strength of the wind in the area.

“It is widely accepted that renewable energy generation through schemes like this must play a central role in meeting both local and national energy requirements in the future,” he added.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/11/18/campaigner-tells-of-fear-in-village/