February 5, 2011
England

Group defends energy plans

Morpeth Herald, www.morpethherald.co.uk 5 February 2011

A community group has defended its own plans for a windfarm.

Members of the Widdrington Regeneration Partnership (WRP) have spoken of their opposition to a bid by Novera Energy to erect four turbines to the west of Widdrington Village.

But it has emerged that the group may be willing to support a larger scheme as part of its own Blue Sky Forest re-development plans.

Chairman Valerie Seddon said she is unable to comment fully on the WRP plans at present, but confirmed they will include a mix of renewable energy equipment.

“I can’t comment on that until the Blue Sky Forest newsletter comes out, but we have always acknowledged that there will have to be some renewable energy element because central government requires it for a scheme of this size,” she said.

“At the moment we have a firm that is looking into delivering a package of renewable energy so there would be a variety of schemes, not just wind.”

And Coun Seddon said residents’ objections to the Novera Sisters’ scheme remain.

“The majority of our residents are not in favour of this windfarm, particularly in that place,” she said.

“The ground they are talking about is completely open and rises away from the village so you can’t mitigate against the visual impact at all.

“For the amount of disadvantage that people in the village will get from it, there is very little in the way of financial compensation, or in fact anything else.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/02/05/group-defends-energy-plans/